Solace
by loulou26
Summary: Lois discovers the truth about Clark in an interesting way, and they begin dating. But someone is out to get Lois and help Clark become the hero he needs to be.
1. Prologue

This is an old fic that I wrote, but I thought I would post it here for others to read :)

**_Prologue_**

Clark sat staring blankly at his computer screen. For the last half an hour he hadn't done anything else. His mind was elsewhere at that moment. Sitting in the dark empty basement of the Daily Planet, he should be focusing on his job, should be typing something, he knew.

But no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get his mind off recent events. He knew what had caused it, a certain vivacious brunette had been weighing heavily on his mind since she had sauntered out of the Daily Planet that night, two weeks earlier and he had barely seen her since.

The only times he had a chance to speak to her were when she popped in quickly to get something or late at night when she was leaving. She was always out chasing down leads, she never stayed in the same room with him for very long and he knew that she was avoiding him. He wasn't sure what to do about it, and he had to admit that he missed her being around.

_"Why don't we just table this whole office, thrown together in the trenches, sparks thing? Okay? Back to basics, keep the game on the field." _She had told him after she found out about Chloe's little mishap with Zatanna.

Clark didn't really know why, but those words had had a weird effect on him and even though he had agreed and said that was a good rule, it had caused the last few weeks to replay in his head.

One that stood out, however, was telling her his secret. Even though she didn't remember it, he did, and he remembered her reaction clearly. He honestly didn't know what he had been expecting of Lois Lane but he had been surprised that she had been so accepting of him.

And when things took a turn for the worse, she had been fiercely protective of him too. He knew that he could tell her now and she would react the same way but he didn't want to do that to her. He wanted her to be free of the pain and trouble that knowing who he really was, would cause.

He sighed and rubbed at his eyes, why couldn't he get her off his mind?

Part of him knew why but wasn't willing to admit it out loud. The fact that she had had three dates now with the man she had met on her flight back from Mexico was bothering him more then it should.

"Looks like someone's having a busy night." A voice spoke from the doorway and Clark's head snapped up to see Chloe standing there, smiling at him sympathetically.

"Hey Chloe, what are you doing here this late?" He asked as she grabbed a chair and sat down next to him.

"You weren't answering your phone and you weren't at the farm. I figured I'd take a chance and find you here. What are you sitting in the dark for?"

"I'm just catching up on a few things. How's things going with Jimmy?"

Chloe took in a deep breath at the mention of her husband's name and grimaced.

"Slowly, very slowly. But hey, at least he's talking to me again."

"Do you think you two can patch things up?"

"I don't know Clark, it's early days but if he can't trust me I honestly don't know where we can go from there. Anyway, how about we go grab some dinner. I'm starving and I would say that you could use a break too." She said getting halfway out of her chair before he spoke.

"Actually I think I'm gonna hang out here for a little longer." He replied, avoiding her gaze. She sat back down and sighed.

"She isn't coming back here tonight Clark. She's out on a date so I should say she'll go straight home." Chloe said softly.

"I wasn't…" He trailed off at the look Chloe gave him. "I'm not hanging around here for her. I really had some things I needed to take care of." He defended.

"And the fact that Lois is out on another date tonight doesn't bother you at all?"  
Chloe asked, throwing him a sceptical look.

"No. She can date whoever and whenever she wants." He said but again avoiding her eyes and fiddling with his tie.

"Uh-huh." Chloe nodded, clearly disbelieving. "Come on Clark we've talked about this already. I know you're still a little hurt over what happened with…well after recent events but I thought you'd decided to put all that behind you?"

"I have but that doesn't mean I'm just gonna jump into something with Lois when she could end up getting hurt because of it. I can't do that to her Chloe. I've already hurt her enough."

"Is that all it is?" He looked over at his best friend, her eyebrows raised questioningly at him.

"Of course, what else would it be?" Chloe looked down at her hands and shook her head.

"Clark, I'm not going to launch into another 'I think you should go for it' speech because I know you're not going to listen anyway. But for the record, if you are truly over Lana and you want to move on, you need to think about doing it soon. Lois may have made her feelings to you crystal clear but she's not the kind of person to sit around moping and waiting for you. And personally I don't think she should either."

"Like me you mean?" He asked and she just shrugged. Clark smiled a little and leaned back in his chair.

"Oh this is all such a mess. I don't even know if I want something to happen with Lois. She doesn't really know what went on when Lana came back and I'm kinda glad. She just thinks that Lana came back for a few weeks and then took off again. Besides, things with Lana ended so badly that I didn't really get the closure that I now know I needed."

"Careful Clark, you're starting to sound like a man." Chloe chuckled.

"Hey!" He glared and was about to ask her what she meant by that when Chloe's phone started ringing.

"Hello?" She said still chuckling at Clark as she answered.

"Chloe? Um are you in Metropolis?"

"Yeah Lois, what's up?" Chloe asked, silently observing Clark's head shoot up when he heard who she was speaking to. She lowered her head but still managed to see his face from the corner of her eyes.

"Well this is kind of embarrassing but could you come pick me up?"

"Uh…sure where are you?" There was a pause on the other end. "Lo?"

"I'm at the Metropolis police station." She said in a low voice.

"What? What are you doing there, shouldn't you be out on a date with what's his name?"

"Well actually I'm kind of _in_ the police station but…um it's a long story Chloe and I'll tell you when you get here. Please?"

"Okay, I'm on my way. Be there in a few." She was about to hang up when Lois' voice stopped her.

"Chlo? Are you by any chance with Clark?"

"Yeah why?"

"I don't want him here okay?" She replied in a firm tone that Chloe knew not to argue with.

"Okay no problem." She hung up and looked at Clark. He was frowning.

"Why is she at the police station?" He asked.

"Clark! You eavesdropped?"

"No actually turns out I didn't need to anyway. You have your volume set so loud I could hear it from here without any advantages." He replied.

Chloe huffed out a sigh and said. "I don't know why she's there, maybe she got a lead on a juicy story or something. Anyway, I'd better go."

"But why wouldn't she want me to come with you?" Chloe had been hoping he hadn't heard that part. She turned to face him.

"I don't know Clark, she didn't say. But I don't think it's hard to imagine why. I'll call you later okay?" He nodded but didn't reply as she walked out of the bullpen.

He looked at his computer screen one more time, his hands hovering over the keyboard but his mind was going over what he'd just heard. Why was Lois there of all places and why didn't she want him to come?

He thought that they were at least still friends but judging by that phone call and the fact that she hadn't even thought to call him, something had obviously shifted in their relationship. He didn't want that to happen.

He wanted to know that if nothing else, he still had her friendship. It was important to him and he didn't want to lose that.

After a few minutes of arguing with himself he put on his jacket and headed out the door.


	2. Chapter 1

**_Chapter One_**

"Okay so is that everything? Can I go now?" Lois asked as the officer in front of her ignored her and went about shuffling through his papers. She was getting more and more frustrated by the minute.

"Look I told you everything that happened, why am I still here?"

"Miss Lane please calm down. You have not been charged with anything but you have been arrested, I can't just let you go until we get everything sorted out. This is a serious matter."

"I'm well aware of that and I would say that it is a very serious matter, which is why I'm curious as to why _I've _been arrested. I didn't do anything wrong." She said a little too emphatically as the officer raised his eyebrows at her.

"I'm just going to talk to my colleague Miss Lane, I assure you I'm doing what I can to sort this out for you." He gave her a brief smile before walking out the door.

She folded her arms and sat back in her chair. She was nursing one heck of a headache and this wasn't helping any. Why did these things keep happening to her?

She knew that she had a knack for attracting trouble but she thought by now she could at least enjoy a simple date without the night ending like this. But clearly that wasn't meant to be.

She got up and started pacing around the room, going over the evening's events in her head and ignoring her reflection in the big mirror. She looked awful, she knew that, she didn't need to see it. She sat back down again as she heard the door open.

"Well Miss Lane it looks like it's your lucky day," The officer said as he sat back down opposite her.

"Define lucky." She growled.

"Mr Jacobs has woken up and is not pressing any charges so it looks like you're free to go." The officer smiled at her but Lois just stared back in shock.

She felt like screaming but held it in. It had been an incredibly long night and she just wanted to go home, have a nice hot shower and crawl into bed. And that was what she intended to do.

"Can I go now?" She asked once more and the officer nodded, standing up to hold the door open for her. She turned to him before she was all the way out.

"I'm asking you, please keep an eye on this guy. He's trouble." The officer eyed her carefully for a moment and then nodded.

"I'll pop by the hospital later Miss Lane and ask him a few questions, though I don't doubt the reason for him not wanting to press charges. He probably knows that the truth would come out. But since it's your word against his and he's lying in a hospital bed…well it didn't look good for you. I'm sorry to have wasted your time Miss Lane." He said gently.

She knew he was only doing his job and he had been kind about all of it. She shook his hand and walked out of the station, where Chloe was currently pacing.

"Chloe." She said rushing forward and hugging her cousin.

"Lois what happened to you?" Chloe said, her eyes widening as she looked her over.

"Well turns out Mark isn't as nice as I thought." Lois replied with a half hearted laugh as they started walking over to Chloe's car.

"What did he do?" Chloe asked, concern written all over her features.

"Nothing, he didn't get a chance to. He took me out for dinner, we had a nice time and after he'd walked me home he started getting a little…affectionate shall we say."

"Oh Lois…"

"No really, it's fine Chlo. I can take care of myself which evidently was why I ended up in here." Lois smiled, she really was fine. She had learned a long time ago how to take care of herself. She wasn't the daughter of a general for nothing.

"Why what happened?" Chloe stopped, grabbing Lois' arm.

"He just wouldn't take no for an answer, started pawing at me and that's how I ended up with this." She said, pointing the cut on her lip which was now swollen and red.

"Wait a second, he attacked you and_ you_ were arrested?" Chloe's eyebrows shot up.

"Well yes and no. He thought that a third date was grounds for some kind of action but before he could do anything, I kind of…kicked his ass." Lois looked down to the ground, she wasn't proud of what she did but she had been defending herself.

Despite the situation, she saw Chloe grin at her.

"What did you do?" She asked, with a smirk and continued to walk to the car.

"I hit him pretty hard and then he hit me back, and then…well…I kicked him and he fell and whacked his head on the pavement…he was out cold. Then the police came and arrested me. I have to admit it did look pretty bad on my part but they said that he had woken up and he was fine so he's not pressing any charges."

"Why am I not surprised?" Chloe said with a snort.

"Honestly though, I'm fine really, he got what was coming to him but I didn't actually mean to hurt him that much. I just wanted to tell him to back off but it got a little out of hand." She said with a shrug as she got into the car.

"So what now? Are they going to arrest him?" Chloe said as she started the engine.

"I don't think so, it's his word against mine and since I'm the one who put him in the hospital, I don't think that will be happening. But it's okay. He knows never to come near me again and I warned the police that he needs watching. There was this cute officer who was actually quite nice to me, he said he'd take care of it." Chloe paused for a second, watching her cousin.

"What?" Lois asked.

"Nothing, you sure you're okay though?"

"I'm great, well not great but you know what I mean. My dad taught me some pretty neat tricks so I know how to handle guys like that. He's not the first and I doubt that he'll be the last." Lois closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the headrest.

"I certainly hope that isn't the case Lo." Chloe frowned.

"No but it's reality. Anyways, can you just take me home sweetie? I just want to jump in the shower and forget about this whole evening. I have to be fresh faced for work tomorrow."

"Something big on the horizon?" Chloe asked as she pulled out of the car park and off in the direction of Lois' apartment.

"No but you never know what's going to pop up." Lois replied.

"True. So uh…" Chloe hesitated. "Um…why didn't you want Clark here?"

"Because he would just say I told you so and do the whole over protective macho thing and I really don't want to have to deal with all that tonight." Lois replied in a tone that told Chloe this wasn't really up for discussion so she dropped it and concentrated on driving her home.

* * *

Out of the shadows in the parking lot, Clark Kent emerged with a look of concern on his face. He hadn't been able to help himself by coming here. He was concerned for Lois and her not wanting him there only made it more confusing.

He had argued with himself all the way here, telling himself that it was wrong and that he should mind his own business. He shouldn't be so interested in the personal details of Lois' life. But he knew that was wrong, he cared about her a lot and he knew that she'd been out on a date tonight.

He told himself that he was just making sure that she was okay. After all, that's what friends do. And eventually his heart won over his head and he'd appeared at the edge of the parking lot just in time to see Lois coming out to Chloe. He quickly sped back into the shadows so she couldn't see him.

He heard her telling Chloe what had happened and what she had done and he couldn't help but feel a spark of pride mixed in with a little anger. He knew she could take care of herself and he was pleased that she had managed to give this guy what he deserved. But she should never have been in that position in the first place.

With a final glance back at the road, Clark headed the other way back to the Planet. He was way too wired to sleep tonight and he wanted to be close by if anything happened.

He spent most nights staying late there, zipping in and out, helping those who needed help. At first it had been a distraction to ease the pain of what had been forced on him by Lex but now, he actually found himself feeling closer to being the man he knew he was supposed to be. Someone that the world could rely on. He just hoped that he could live up to it.


	3. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two_**

Clark turned up early to work the next morning, he wanted to get an early start on things. Or at least that's what he kept telling himself, though in the back of his mind a little voice kept saying that he wanted to see if he could catch Lois before she disappeared for the day. He dismissed it as friendly concern and nothing more.

But as he heard her breeze into the bullpen, coffee in one hand and newspaper in the other, he knew that was a lie. He sighed and turned his attention back to his computer screen, this shouldn't be this hard, he thought to himself.

This was Lois, it should've been easy. But he was constantly aware of and confused by his ever growing feelings for her lately. It was scary, how could he go from loving one person, to thinking he was going to be alone again for the rest of his life, to finding out that his best friend meant more to him than he first thought?

He wasn't as naïve as he used to be, he knew that something was going on but he was afraid of finding out what. His conversation with Chloe had certainly opened his eyes a little. Up to that point he hadn't been aware that he had been looking at Lois any differently, but Chloe had seen it and had been quick to point it out to him.

He looked up to see Lois fluttering around the bullpen and since her attention was distracted, he took a moment to watch her. She was rifling through a file drawer, her nose wrinkled in concentration, eyebrows furrowing.

When had his feelings towards her changed? When had he started seeing her as more then the brash, rude, bantering person he had spent the last four years being friends with? No matter what was happening between them he was glad that she was in his life.

"Hey Smallville." She said in a breezy tone as she sat down at her desk, though he couldn't actually see her.

Over the last couple of days he had noticed that her computer monitor had begun shifting across her desk, finally ending up in the middle so that his view of her was blocked. He was a little surprised that it stung so much.

At first he hadn't noticed but as the days went on, it moved further across and he could no longer put it down to the cleaning lady shifting things about. No she had done it on purpose but he didn't know why.

Realising that he hadn't answered her yet, he stood up so that he could see her but kept his head down looking through some papers.

"Hey Lois. Did you have a good time last…" He stopped mid-sentence as he looked up and saw her face, though she wasn't looking at him. She was busying herself with some paperwork but as he stopped, she looked up and frowned.

"Lois what happened?" He said, pointing to her face.

"Oh this? It's nothing, you should see the other guy." She said with a wave of her hand, dismissing it.

"Who did that to you?" He asked, and even he could hear the concern in his voice. He knew that this had happened but actually seeing the evidence of it made him angry.

"I said it's nothing Clark." She replied, her frosty tone telling him to drop it.

But something inside him wouldn't let that happen. He wanted her to tell him, he wanted her to feel like she could tell him. However before he could ask her again she walked over to the other end of the room.

He ran after her and followed her into a nearby storage room. She turned and raised her eyebrows as she saw him lock the door behind him.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked, folding her arms in front of her and glaring at him.

He stood by the door for a few moments, trying to collect his thoughts. He didn't really know what he was doing. He just knew that he wanted her to talk to him. He took a step towards her and stopped.

"What happened last night Lois?" He asked again.

He saw her expression soften and for a moment he thought that she was going to tell him. But as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone again and the glare was back, along with a hint of something he couldn't recognise in her eyes.

"Why do you even care?"

"Lois you're my friend. I do care." He replied and what he did next shocked them both.

Without even thinking he raised his hand and gently cupped her chin, his thumb gently rubbing close to the cut on her lip, his eyes staring into hers. She blinked and shook her head free of his grasp. She stepped around him and headed to the door.

"Lois please," Something in his voice made her stop as she reached for the handle.

"Look Clark, I'm a big girl, I took care of myself and you don't need to worry about me." All of this she said with her back to him. "But thank you." She said quietly before opening the door and walking out.

* * *

Lois went back to her desk to get her things. She needed to get out of here and fast. What was going on with him? She wondered. He had made it perfectly clear that he didn't want anything but friendship so why was he all of a sudden so concerned over a little cut?

She had been trying so hard to distance herself from him emotionally, trying to do what she had told him and get back to being friends. She had thought she was doing a pretty good job at it too up until last night. And even though she had handled that particular situation herself, there had been a split second where she wished that Clark was there.

No, she needed to remember that they were only friends and nothing more. But he made it so hard to think straight when he did things like that. Though a part of her felt a little touched that he was so concerned, she knew that it was only out of friendship. She'd be kidding herself to think otherwise.

"Lane," She turned to look at Tess' new assistant. A short, blonde woman in her mid twenties by the name of Lydia. "Boss wants to see you. Now." She said curtly before walking off.

_Great. And my day just gets better and better.  
_

* * *

"Come in." She heard Tess call as she knocked on the door. Lois entered and rolled her eyes in frustration as she noticed that Clark was already in the room. "Sit down Lois." Tess said, her manner distinctly unpleasant.

"I've called you here because this concerns you both." Tess started, leaning against her desk.

"I heard about your shenanigans last night Lois. You know that it reflects badly on the Daily Planet to have one of our reporters arrested don't you?" Lois closed her eyes a shook her head. Of course she would have to bring this up in front of Clark. Why did everything always have to come out in front of him?

"Yes I'm aware of that but I wasn't charged with anything and they let me go after an hour." Lois said quietly, she could feel Clark staring at her but kept her gaze on Tess.

"It doesn't matter, until I can sort this whole thing out you're suspended."

Lois exploded.

"What? You can't do that! I wasn't charged with anything!" She said as she jumped out of her seat.

"You may not have been charged Lois but I can't have reporters on my staff who go around beating people up and putting them in the hospital." Tess replied flatly.

"First of all I did not _beat_ anyone up, I was defending myself and second of all…"

"Lois that's enough. I don't wanna hear it. You're suspended, end of story. I will call you when I have decided if it's worth the trouble of keeping you on." Tess turned her back on a now seething Lois and turned to Clark.

"That means that you have an awful lot of work to do Clark. I want you to cover for Lois while she's out." Lois' mouth fell open as did Clark's.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Lois shouted. Tess ignored her completely and smiled at Clark.

"You up for the task Clark?" Tess asked with a smirk. Lois watched as Clark seemed to take a minute to weigh his decision up.

_He's not actually going to do it is he?_  
_  
_"Miss Mercer…" Clark stood and put his hands in his pockets. "If you're going to suspend Lois over something that wasn't her fault, then I want no part in it. Find someone else to cover for her."

"You misunderstand me Clark, either you do what I tell you, or you'll be on suspension too." Tess replied, enjoying the fact that with that threat, he wouldn't say no to her.

"On what grounds?" He asked.

"Misconduct, for failing to do what your boss tells you to do." Lois, feeling like a spare part now, watched Clark as he stood a little taller and squared his shoulders.

"Then consider me on suspension because I'm not doing it." The smile immediately fell from Tess' face, clearly she hadn't been expecting that answer.  
And evidently neither had Lois, because for the second time in a matter of minutes her jaw hit the floor.

"You sure you wanna end a career that's barely starting, for her?" She asked with a daunting tone.

"Is that a threat? You and I both know that you have no grounds to fire me but if you wanna do so then go ahead because I'm not just going to let you treat her this way. She hasn't done anything wrong." Clark said and Lois hadn't missed the way he had sounded so defiant, so confident. She was shocked to say the least.

Tess was quickly getting annoyed with the situation and if Lois didn't know any better, she could've sworn she saw her looking at Clark with a hint of disappointment. Maybe she had feelings for him. If she hadn't been so angry at that moment, Lois would've laughed at that thought.

"Fine, get out. You're both suspended for the time being. I'll be in touch soon but I don't want to see either of you within a hundred yards of this place until I do. Got it?" And with that, she turned her back to them, effectively dismissing them.

Outside in the hall Lois grabbed Clark's arm as he walked past her.

"Why on earth did you do that Smallville?" She asked, her voice a mixture of mild annoyance and appreciation.

"We're a team Lane. I can't work without the other half of it now can I?" He said, giving her the briefest of smiles before walking away.

Lois stood there for a few minutes watching him leave, a slow smile creeping up her face.

_What had just happened?_


	4. Chapter 3

**_Chapter Three_**

Lois was fuming, how could Tess do this to her? It simply wasn't fair. She worked hard here, had put her life on the line on more than one occasion just to get a story and this was the thanks she got?

Although she could admit that it didn't look good for the Daily Planet, but no one really had to know about it. That thought made her pause, Clark had heard enough to know that something went on last night and judging from his reaction to her face earlier, she knew he would be asking questions sooner or later.

And after the way the she had rubbed it in about having a date, she really didn't want him to know that it had all gone horribly wrong. After all, she still had her pride if nothing else.

As she walked back into the bullpen to get her things, she stopped. Clark was standing by her desk, checking his phone. He looked up and smiled as she walked over.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Just peachy Smallville," She huffed as she went about gathering her stuff. "I could lose my job but you know, apart from that I'm great." She glanced up to see him frown as he lowered his head and she suddenly felt guilty.

"I'm sorry you got suspended too. I didn't think she would do that." She said, softly.

"It's okay, besides, that's what friends are for right?" He said with a wide grin and she suddenly found herself smiling back.

"Yeah I guess." She mumbled as they made their way to the stairs. Lois didn't particularly feel like being cramped with him in an elevator. She would rather not have to do deal with the silence that would inevitably take over once they were alone.

"So do you feel like grabbing some lunch?" She turned to face Clark in surprise as they made their way out of the building.

"What? Oh um…I can't sorry Smallville I have a uh…" She stuttered, and tried desperately to think of something to come up with. She couldn't use Chloe as an excuse as she was always busy at Isis and patching things up with her husband and she couldn't very well say she had a deadline. She had nothing and sadly it made her realise just how much of her life was spent at work or out chasing stories.

"Lois come on, it's just lunch and I know that you probably skipped breakfast. Besides, we hardly talk anymore and I…well I kinda miss you." He said that last part so quietly she wasn't sure that she'd heard him right.

"You miss me huh?" She said with a smirk, never one to miss an opportunity to tease him. She was expecting him to do his usual, blush a little, and avoid looking at her.

She felt her breath catch in her throat as his eyes stared deep into hers and he nodded, the corners of his mouth tilting up into a small smile.

"Yeah, I miss talking to you. Come on, I'll buy." She stood rooted to the spot as he began to walk off.

"Lois, you coming?" He called. She shook her head and looked over at him. What harm could a little lunch do between friends right?

* * *

Clark smiled as they walked into the little café that Lois had become fond of. It didn't escape either's notice that this was the very same café at which Clark had stood her up.

They sat down at a table next to the window and quietly waited for the waitress. He was pleased that she had decided to come here with him but now that she wasn't saying much, he wondered if it had been a good idea. He just wanted things to get back to normal between them, he hated that she wouldn't look at him or tell him what was happening in her life.

Why couldn't things just be simple for him, just for once? Over the past few weeks he had come to terms with the fact that he and Lana could never be. Not only because of what Lex did to them, but because he honestly didn't know if things would've ever worked out. He knew that he loved her, but would that have been enough?

It had taken him a while to let the truth sink in that she was really gone and never coming back but once he had dealt with it, he had gone through their entire relationship in his head. And he was ashamed to admit that there had been flaws there that he had been only too willing to over look.

Their entire relationship had more pain and drama in it than it had happy times. He had to face the fact that even though Lana claimed to love him so much, he clearly wasn't important enough for her to tell him what she was up to. And she had left him so many times in the past, why should this one have been any different? Loving Lana was easy, comfortable, safe.

Lois on the other hand, well he somehow felt that things with her would be a little more intense. Over the last couple of weeks, whenever he had pictured Lana in his head, an image of Lois would pop up instead, Lana's face fading into the background.

He couldn't forget the look of hurt on Lois' face when she realised that he wasn't going to tell her his secret, she had thought it was because she wasn't important to him. She was so wrong.

It wasn't until the waitress came over that he realised that he had been staring directly at Lois and luckily, she was looking the other way and hadn't noticed.

"What can I get you?" The waitress said, flashing a broad smile at Clark.

"Um I'll have the uh…" Clark paused to look at the menu. "The chicken Caesar salad please and a coke. Lois?"

"I'll just have a coffee thanks." She said with a smile that Clark could tell was fake.

Was it really so much work to just sit and have lunch with him? He wondered. She looked like she wanted to bolt straight for the door. Though he couldn't help but feel that he deserved it. He had been a complete jerk to her but he wanted to make up for it.

"I thought we were having lunch?" He asked and she turned her head to look at him.

"I'm really not that hungry Clark. I'm fine with just a coffee, it's still a little early for lunch yet anyway."

"Okay well in that case I'll just have the coke thanks," He handed his menu back to the waitress, and turned back to Lois. He wasn't really that hungry either, if he was honest, he knew that this was just an opportunity to spend some time with Lois.

"I think that waitress has a crush on you." Lois chuckled. It was good to see a real smile for a change, he thought.

"She does not." He said, shifting in his seat.

"How would you know farm boy? You wouldn't be able to tell she liked you even if she came right up to you and kissed you." Lois let out a short burst of laughter and even though he wanted to be annoyed at her statement, he couldn't because her laughter was like music to his ears.

He studied her for a second, why couldn't he just pin point whatever it was that he was feeling for her? At least he had finally admitted that there was definitely something there. But after everything that had happened, was he willing to risk everything he knew to find out what. Whether he liked it or not, things were changing between them. It was a fact he could no longer deny.

"Maybe you should go ask her out." Lois teased with an evil glint in her eye.

"Lois." Clark warned.

"Why not Smallville, she seems nice and she's cute. Or are you still too scared to go for it?" She said raising her eyebrows in a challenge.

Her words struck a chord within him. He didn't know if she had said that to annoy him or if it was some kind of message. Either way, the question stayed lodged in his mind. What was he so afraid of?

* * *

An hour and three coffees later Lois was starting to feel better. Her anger from earlier had dissipated and she actually found herself having a good time with Clark. They talked about anything and everything, deciding to ignore the elephant in the corner. He had asked about her time in Star City and she had told him about Jimmy's recovery and what she had been up to.

"There wasn't really much else to do there and besides, I couldn't leave Jimmy alone. He needed someone there when he woke up." She said, her smile fading as she remembered sitting alone in the quiet hospital room waiting for Jimmy to open his eyes and say something.

She had been scared for him and for Chloe and there really was no one left she could turn to but she had refused to fall apart. Her eyes opened as she felt a strong hand clamp down over hers on the table and she looked up to see Clark smiling sympathetically at her.

"I'm sorry Lois I…" His pity was too much for her to bare. She could handle anything that was thrown at her, but to have him sit there and feel sorry for her was too much. She slowly withdrew her hand and ignored his frown.

"Don't worry about it Smallville, it was no big deal. Are you ready to leave, I think I've had more then enough coffee to keep me going for the day," She chuckled lightly but the truth was she just really wanted to get out of there. Clark nodded and went up to the counter to pay the bill as she walked outside.

"Excuse me miss." A little voice said and she looked down to see a little girl standing next to the building. Lois estimated that the girl was about nine or ten years old. She was standing behind a little table that was adorned with little wooden figurines.

"Are you alone? Shouldn't someone be with you?" Lois asked, concerned that a child was out on her own in the city. It was not a safe place to be.

"I'm with my dad, he went inside to get us something to eat. Would you like to buy one of my figures?" She said with a bright smile, gesturing towards the table.

Lois took a moment to inspect them, they really were quite good. Each one was carved into the shape of angels or fairies and each one had a red gem stone in the centre of them. It was obvious that a great deal of work had gone into them.

"Hi…" She heard the girl say and Lois looked up to see Clark standing next to her.

"Would you care to buy one sir?" Lois chuckled at the politeness in the girl's tone. Clark was clearly impressed as he bent down next to Lois to look at them.

"Wow these are really good, did you make them?" Clark asked with a big smile. Lois had to suppress a giggle at the expression on the child's face. What was it about Clark Kent that had all the girls eating out of his hand?

"No my dad did but I help out when I'm not at school. He likes to make them and sell them, he says shops are too expensive." The girl replied.

"Well how much is one?" Lois asked, taking her purse out of her bag.

"Two dollars each miss."

"Two dollars huh? Wow that is good. Here you go, I'll take…" She browsed the table and eventually settled on a little fairy figure. "This one here."

"Thank you." The girl replied, then she looked to Clark with an expectant expression.

"Come on Smallville, pay up." Lois said. Clark shot her a playful glare but took the money out of his pocket, paid the girl and chose his figure.

"Thank you both. You're very kind."

"You're welcome." Clark replied as he steered Lois away and started walking down the street towards his truck.

"I hope she's got someone with her," Lois muttered, looking back over her shoulder.

"I'm sure she wouldn't be out here on her own Lois." Lois nodded and smiled as she saw a man holding two sandwiches, walk up to the girl who smiled and sat down to eat.

She held her recent purchase up to look at as they walked into the nearby alley which would lead them back to the Planet's car park where she could collect her car.

"You know he must be incredibly talented to make these like this. It's amazing." Lois replied, her fingers playing with the gem stone in the middle.

Clark took a look at his and put it in his jacket pocket as his other hand went to loosen his tie. Lois couldn't stop her eyes from roaming over him, he looked so handsome in his suit and with the top button of his shirt undone and tie hanging loose, he looked incredibly hot.

She hadn't realised that she had been gripping the little figure in her hand so tightly until she felt the little gem fall loose into her palm.

"Well I guess that's what you get for two dollars." She chuckled, holding up the stone to get a better look at it in the light.

"I've never seen this kind of stone before, have you?" She asked, tossing it to him. He caught it and took a look.

"Clark? You okay?" Lois asked, noting how he was hanging his head and standing completely still. She hadn't seen the instant glow of red in his eyes. "Clark." Slowly he raised his head, his wide grin momentarily knocking her off her guard.

"Are you okay?" She asked again when he didn't reply. He was just staring at her with such intensity as he pocketed the gem.

"Never better Lois." He said, taking a step towards her. She backed away until she felt her back meet with a brick wall. He stopped barely an inch away from her, his eyes taking in every detail of her face. Something wasn't right.

"Are you sure, you don't look like yourself." Lois said with a frown.

"Well I do have a confession to make. I asked you to lunch because I wanted to spend some time with you. I wasn't lying when I said I miss you. I just…" She put her hands up to stop him as he leaned in close. She sidestepped him and shook her head. What on earth was he playing at?

"I don't know what's gotten into you Clark but you better snap out of it. Now." She said curtly.

"I'm sorry Lois, it's just…I like you. A lot." He said again with that grin.

She had wanted to hear those words for so long, but she couldn't believe he was actually saying them to her. Something had to be wrong. But apart from the almost predatory smirk he was wearing, she couldn't see anything wrong with him.

"You like me? Yeah right!" She snorted. But he still kept stalking closer to her, the look in his eyes rooting her to the spot.

"I do Lois. I've wanted to tell you for a while now but I didn't know how to."

"What about Lana? She just left you Clark." She squinted her eyes and studied his face, there was no flash of pain or regret and she wondered for the first time if he really was over her.

"What about her? She's gone…for good this time. We were never meant to be together I see that now. No, what I want is right in front of me." He said in a low voice, his head leaning slowly down to hers.

She wanted to tell him no, wanted to tell him to stop. But as his lips found hers, she was powerless to do anything but respond. His hands grasped her waist possessively as hers found their way around the back of his neck.

He tasted so good, his tongue gently battling with hers. She felt him pull her up against his body and she could already feel his arousal. It was too much. She ended the kiss and took a step back, her lips burning where his had been.

"Clark, what are you doing?" She whispered.

"What I've wanted to do since the first time I met you." He replied, leaning in close again. She was so confused, she didn't know what was happening to him but it clearly wasn't normal.

"So if this was what you wanted for so long, why did you stand me up that night?" He paused for a moment, thinking about his answer.

"I was an idiot." He replied. She pushed him away again and crossed her arms. He was still grinning at her.

_He's enjoying this, _she thought to herself.

Maybe it was time to fight fire with fire. She knew that he would soon buckle under the pressure so she grabbed his head and forced it down to hers, his lips crashing against hers. Her plan however didn't work because soon she felt his hands gliding down her sides and reaching round to cup her butt as he started trailing red hot kisses down her neck.

She closed her eyes and tried to push him away again but he wouldn't budge. She wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to say no to him, her legs were starting to feel weak and she knew that despite how much she may protest, this was what she really wanted.

She slowly pushed him away yet again and felt her mouth go dry at the sheer lust she saw in his eyes. She needed to find out what was going on with him so in a bid to buy herself some more time, she said. "Not here. Let's go back to my place,"

His grin widened and he nodded, so she took his hand in hers and began walking back to her car. He stopped and dragged her back to him.

"I have a faster way." He said, picking her up and before she even had time to react, she felt a gust of wind so strong that it literally took her breath away. She looked around in shock. They were standing in her apartment.


	5. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four_**

  
Lois's mouth opened then closed, then opened again as she did a complete circle and took in her surroundings.

"Wha…What the hell Smallville?" She shouted whirling around to see him standing there all cocky and confident.

"What just happened?" He took a step closer and put his hands on her shoulders, gazing into her eyes. Though she knew something was wrong, she couldn't help but be attracted to the desire so evident in his eyes. She shook her head, mentally slapping herself for thinking such things when what she should be doing was trying to figure out what had happened to him.

"That was nothing, it's not important." He said, reaching for her again. She dodged him and ran to the other side of the room. This was freaking her out big time.

"Not important? Clark something is very wrong with you okay? We need to figure out what it is."

"Lois just calm down. There is nothing wrong with me. I'm just finally taking a step I should've taken a long time ago. Do you know how long I've wanted to kiss you?" He asked, her eyes never leaving his as he walked towards her again.

"How long I've wanted to touch you?" She couldn't speak, he was so close now. She could smell his aftershave and if she reached out, she could run her hand through his hair…_stop it Lois._  
_  
_"Clark…this isn't you…it's…there's…" He cut her off with a heart stopping kiss.

She wanted him so badly but this wasn't right. But while her head was telling her one thing, her body was doing quite the opposite. She found herself leaning into him, letting his mouth claim hers passionately.

If she hadn't known it before, now would've been the time when she truly let herself admit that she was in love with him. And it both scared and excited her.

He started kissing down her neck again, sending shivers down her spine, making her feel as if she was on fire. She ran both hands through his thick hair and threw her head back, giving him better access.

His hands left her hips and started working on the buttons of her blouse, placing a kiss on each and every inch of exposed skin. It felt like heaven, the things his tongue was doing. That's when it hit her and she suddenly lurched backwards, away from him. It took a moment for both of them to gather their thoughts and steady their erratic breathing.

"Clark…we have to stop…" She said, breathing heavily and buttoning her shirt back up. He looked at her with what she thought was mild irritation.

"I want this Lois. I want you."

"But why? What's changed all of a sudden?" She really was confused, not only by the situation but by how readily and easily she could give in to him if she let herself.

"Nothing's changed, can't you just accept the fact that I like you? I know you like me too." He grinned. "But I guess you're not ready so, I'll see you around." He made a move towards the door.

"Hold on there buster, you're not going anywhere, not until we figure this out."

"Lois step aside. You obviously don't want anything to happen here and I got places I need to be." Lois crossed her arms and stared him down.

"Well you're just gonna have to get through me first." She said, smirking at him. He simply grinned back and grabbed her shoulders, gently lifting her in the air and putting her down at his side.

A weird sense of déjà vu hit her and suddenly she remembered the first time they had met. He had done the exact same thing in the hospital, but he hadn't known who he was then. What was going on?

She had a lot of questions that she knew he wouldn't give her the answers to. Before she had time to react or say anything, he was gone, leaving a gust of wind behind him.

_Oh crap!_

* * *

"Chloe why aren't you answering your phone?" Lois demanded as she burst through the door at the Isis foundation, making Chloe jump and choke a little on her lunch.

"Geez Lo…knock much?" Chloe asked, wiping her chin with her napkin. "What is it?"  
She frowned as she took in the panicked look on her cousin's face.

"Something is very wrong with Clark." She huffed, trying to catch her breath.

"Wait slow down, what happened?" Chloe said leading her over to the couch.

"We were having lunch and oh I got suspended today by the way and then…"

"Whoa, whoa you got suspended? What for?"

"For being arrested last night. But that's not important right now Chlo there is something seriously wrong with Clark. He's like a totally different person." Chloe inwardly winced, this couldn't be good. With Clark it never was.

"Okay start from the beginning."

"Well we were having lunch at the café and everything was fine. We left and bought some little wooden figurines from this little girl by the side of the street and then we walked back to my car. But when we got down the alley I noticed that the stone had fallen out of mine and I'd never seen anything like it before so I asked Clark if he had but he'd changed. He just started…" She paused, not really wanting Chloe to know the gory details.

"Started what?" Chloe pressed. Lois breathed out a sigh and closed her eyes.

"He started coming on to me and then he…kissed me."

"What? How did that happen?"

"I have no idea, but I wanted to try and figure out what was wrong with him so I said that we should go back to my place. But the thing is, when I started to walk back to my car, he grabbed me and the next thing I know, I'm standing in my own apartment." Lois said, getting a little out of breath. She looked up at Chloe who was wearing a very worried expression now.

"Lois, what colour was the stone?"

"Red, why?" Chloe groaned and put her head in her hands.

"Okay we need to get that stone away from Clark. It has an effect on him, changes his personality."

"How can a rock do that?" Lois scoffed.

"Trust me it's happened before but believe me when I say, it's not a good thing. Where is he now?"

"I don't know, he took off after saying he had places he needed to be." Chloe sighed, she knew where some of those places would be.

"Chloe, what is it you're not telling me? Something is obviously going on here I mean he ran faster then a speeding…" Her voice trailed off as her eyes grew wide. "Oh my God. He's the…"

"He's the what?" Chloe asked, hoping that Lois wasn't about to say what she thought.

"He's the red-blue-blur isn't he?" Chloe snorted and looked away.

"Lois that's ridiculous, this is Clark." Lois narrowed her eyes and stared at her cousin, the fact that she was now avoiding her gaze was a dead give away.

"You knew?" Lois shrieked. "Never mind, we don't have time to talk about this right now. We need to find him. We can discuss this later." She said in a tone that let Chloe know she wasn't off the hook.

"Okay, I think I know where he'll be. But it's going to take a lot to get that rock away from him."

"You let me worry about that, just tell me where he'll be." Lois said with determination.

* * *

Clark looked around the heaving dance floor later that night. It felt good to be back here after so many years. He finally felt free again. He hadn't felt this good in a long time. All the recent pain and anguish faded into the background as he felt the liberating red kryptonite course through his veins along with the beat of the music.

But something was different this time and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Several girls had already made their presence known to him and normally he would've taken them up on their offers but this time, he reluctantly declined. He turned back to the bar, leaning against it as he ordered another drink.

"Care to buy a lady a drink?" He heard a sultry voice close to his ear. His face lit up into a dangerous grin as he turned to face her. The reason his thoughts were taking a different direction then usual.

"Changed your mind?" He asked, letting his eyes roam slowly over her body.

_Man, she's hot_ he thought.

He noticed her blush a little at his inspection of her but also that she was doing the same with him. The dark red dress she was wearing clung to and accentuated every gorgeous curve of her body and he had images of running his hands over them.

But it wasn't enough, he wanted her to want to be with him. And that was what bothered him, he never cared about people's feelings or emotions he only cared about what he wanted when he was on this stuff, so why couldn't he get her out of his head?

"Lois, there you are…" He sighed as he saw Chloe appear next to Lois. "And Clark…what uh what are you doing here?" She said, giving him a pointed look as if he knew what she was talking about.

"I was trying to have a good time. But now that you're here I guess that's over with." He said flatly, walking away. Lois looked at Chloe.

"I'll take care of it Chlo. I don't want you hanging around here alone so why don't you go home and I'll call you later okay?"

"Are you sure?" Chloe looked worried so Lois drew her in for a hug.

"Yeah I'm sure. Don't worry, he'll be fine." She jumped off her stool and chased after Clark.

"Wait!" He stopped as she grabbed his hand. "Don't go." He looked down at her, annoyed but standing still. "Dance with me?" She asked, he looked over at the bar, Chloe was gone. Good, she always found a way to ruin his fun. But Lois, well, he couldn't say no to her.

He grabbed her hand and led her over to the dance floor, pulling her close to him as they started dancing. Lois hooked her arms around his neck and grinded her hips into his, making him gasp a little.

He clamped his hands around her waist and pulled her flush up against him, feeling the friction between their bodies as they moved to the music. She looked nervous and he wondered why. Was she scared of him? Did she want him as badly as he wanted her? He doubted that.

He leaned his head down and nuzzled her neck, hearing her sigh as he found the sensitive spot just behind her left ear. "I want you Lois. Do you want me?" He had to ask, he needed to know.

He pulled back to look into her eyes and saw confusion and hesitation but also…lust.  
She nodded and that was all he needed before he grabbed her hand again and led her out of the nightclub. As he led them into a nearby alley and leaned her up against a wall, she put her hands on his chest to stop him.

"Clark, I need to know something first." He stopped but only briefly.

"What?"

"Are you the…the…red-blue-blur?" She panted, as his hands found their way to her back and then her butt and pulled her against him again.

"I'm whatever you want me to be…" He said, nuzzling her neck again.

"Don't do that Clark. I want to know." She said sternly, pushing him away with a little more force.

"Can't we talk about this later?"

"No I wanna know now."

"Okay fine, yes I'm the blur are you happy now?" He said in frustration.

Why did she have to keep asking him so many questions? Why couldn't she just let them have this one night? That was all he wanted.

Or so he thought, but he knew that one night with her wouldn't be enough. He wanted her to be his, forever, and he was not the same Clark Kent that shied away from getting what he wanted.

A slow smile crept up her face as she looked at him and he was surprised to feel her hand against his cheek. He had fully expected her to slap him and walk away.

"Clark…" She groaned before pulling his head down to hers and planting a passionate kiss on his lips. "I want you." She whispered in his ear.

It took all of his self restraint not to take her right there in the alley, instead he lifted her into his arms and took off back to her apartment.

* * *

Lois stepped out of his embrace the second he had stopped. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she felt a little dizzy. But she barely had time to collect herself before she felt his hands grab her waist and his mouth was once again doing wonderful things to the back of her neck.

She turned in his arms and looked up into his bright blue eyes. She had to find a way of getting that rock away from him. But first she had to find it. It wasn't as if he would just let her rifle through his pockets.

Chloe had warned her that he could be dangerous if exposed to it for too long but as she looked at him, she wondered how on earth a little rock could make someone as passive as Clark dangerous. But then again, look at how much his personality had changed over the course of the afternoon. She took a moment to appreciate just how incredibly sexy he looked in his leather jacket and black jeans, something she wasn't used to seeing him in.

He reached his hand up and cupped her chin, staring into her eyes, he lowered his head and brushed her lips with his. He wrapped his arms completely around her waist and held her tightly, and she almost lost herself in his kiss. She let her hands roam over his chest, loving the feel of his muscles twitching beneath her touch.

A little lower and she was at the hem of his jeans, her hands slowly grazing across his stomach as she reached under his shirt. She wasn't aware that he had undone the zip of her dress until it was falling around her shoulders but she was too far gone to care as his lips caressed her bare shoulder.

Just as she was about to reach into one of his pockets, he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, laying her gently down on her bed. He kneeled over her, looking at her with such passion that she didn't know if she had the strength to go through with this. She wanted him, that much she was sure of but she wanted the real Clark. The one she had fallen in love with.

He took off his shirt and laid down next to her, kissing her as he gathered her closer. A small moan escaped her lips as his mouth moved lower down to her cleavage and finally she found her way into his pocket.

She felt the little stone in her grasp and for a second she hesitated, mentally arguing with herself. She wanted this, but at what cost? How long would it be before he tired of her and moved on to someone else?

And then a thought hit her and made her feel sick. How long would it be before he remembered how much he'd loved Lana? Would he go back to her? No, she couldn't do this, she needed Clark back.

With a reluctant sigh she pulled her hand out of his pocket and threw the stone through the open doorway. But he didn't stop. He kept on kissing her, tracing the outline of her breasts with his tongue.

"Clark." She whispered and within seconds his kisses had stopped. He looked up at her with confused eyes for a moment and then his mouth fell open and he leapt up off the bed as if he'd been burned. Lois covered herself over and tried to ignore the suddenly cold feeling that he had left.

"Lois." He shook his head, and she knew that he was regretting what had happened.

"Clark it's okay…I…"

"I'm so sorry Lois." He said, and without looking at her once, he ran out of the room.  
Lois felt the tears build in her eyes as she heard the door slam shut. Well at least the old Clark was back.


	6. Chapter 5

**_Chapter Five  
_**  
Clark sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands and surrounded by darkness. He remembered everything. Every little detail of the entire afternoon and he felt terrible. Being on red kryptonite never failed to turn his life upside down. Only this time it was much worse. Not only had he been rude to his best friend, which wasn't unusual when on that stuff, but he'd also come on strongly to Lois.

_Lois_. He felt awful, acting the way he had with her. He'd almost slept with her. He remembered the way she felt lying beneath him, the way she looked as he laid her down on her bed. She was amazingly beautiful, he had to admit. He knew that he would have to explain this to her, he couldn't keep it from her any longer, not after he had pretty much admitted to being the red-blue-blur.

He groaned as he remembered telling her that, he had only admitted it so that they could move things along faster. He had wanted her so bad that he couldn't think about anything else and that was the part that scared him the most. In all the times he had been on red kryptonite, he had only ever thought of himself. He had hurt the people he cared about, had used his abilities and even resorted to kidnapping just to get what _he_ wanted.

It was only ever about him and how he felt so that was why this time was so confusing. All he could think about was Lois. She had worked her way into his head and refused to leave. It completely surprised and confused him that, not once in the entire afternoon, had his thoughts drifted to Lana. In the past she would've been the first thing he thought about and he would've done anything just to get to her. He knew that he couldn't go near her now but that wouldn't have stopped him from trying if that was what he really wanted.

It was time to face the fact that maybe he hadn't loved Lana as much as he thought. He was expecting the realisation to hurt a little more, but all he felt was a strange sensation of release. As if he was free of the pain and suffering that went along with their relationship. He knew that he would always care about her, but he had to look to his future and if he was being completely honest, he didn't really see Lana as a part of that future no matter how much he might've wanted it.

She would always want more, had never been satisfied with simply being with him. She felt that she had to gain superpowers to do that, and for the first time he realised that if she hadn't been so intent on stealing that suit from Lex in the first place, none of this would've ever happened. Besides that, the suit was the only reason she had even bothered coming back here. It certainly hadn't been for him alone.

Lois on the other hand, well he just couldn't quite imagine not having her in his life. She made him a better person, made him want to be more then he was. She challenged him, made him feel normal, made him feel a part of this world. He had sworn that he would give himself time to figure out what she meant to him, that she deserved more then a broken shell of a man and that was the reason he hadn't turned up at the café that night.

He didn't want to hurt her and he'd been afraid that if he'd started something with her, he would only end up doing just that. But even though he was now feeling guilty for his behaviour towards her, there wasn't a single part of him that regretted what happened between them tonight. It reminded him of the time they had gotten close the last time he had been on red kryptonite. Even back then she had been the one he had gone for. Well up until he saw the invitation to Lana's engagement party. He often found himself wondering just how far they would've gone if he hadn't seen that.

But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't feel bad about having Lois in his arms, kissing her soft lips, or feeling every curve of her body and the way it felt pressing against his. Then a gut wrenching fear hit home. Had she only gone as far as she did with him just to get the stone away from him? He hoped not, he wanted to believe that she wanted him as much as he had wanted her. He got up and walked over to the window, looking out at the rain that was falling pretty heavily now.

His fingers burned at the thought of her silky, soft skin and his lips still tingled as he remembered kissing her. He hadn't felt like that in such a long time and he knew it had nothing to with the kryptonite. No, she had to have felt something. The way her body had instantly responded to his, the way her eyes and hands roamed over every inch of him. There was no way that this was one-sided. He hoped.

He knew that she had feelings for him but how far did they really go? For some reason he found himself needing to find out. He needed to see her and try to fix the mess he had made. He looked over his shoulder at his bed, there was no way he was sleeping tonight. So he grabbed his jacket and headed out of the door.

* * *

Lois finished off her third cup of hot chocolate and settled back down on the sofa. The movie she was watching wasn't really helping her mood but she couldn't go back to bed. She had spent the last two hours tossing and turning, eventually getting up and heading into the kitchen. It was no use, her thoughts were completely occupied by one person. Why she was feeling like this was a mystery even to her.

She knew that Clark would never really go that far with her unless he was under the influence of something. He was normally too shy to even ask her out or try to kiss her. But during that short space of time, she had felt so desirable, so cherished, as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered to him.

She snorted out loud, breaking the silence in her apartment, she didn't matter to him. Not like that anyway, he was probably still hurting over Lana and reached out for the first person he saw to seek comfort. That was all it was and she would do well to remember it. Hell, at least she wouldn't have to deal with the awkward tension at work tomorrow. She could just avoid him until this all blew over and if she was allowed to go back to work, she would deal with it then.

A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts and she looked at the clock on her sideboard. Who would be knocking on her door at three in the morning? Her mouth fell open slightly as she took in the sopping wet red and blue figure standing at her door.

"Clark what are you doing here?" She asked, taking a moment to look him over. "You're soaking, here come on in." She dragged him into the apartment and settled him down on the sofa then disappeared for a few moments.

She noticed him looking down at his hands as she returned with a towel. "Here." She said, thrusting it at him. He caught it and smiled gratefully at her. She sat down next to him, not really knowing what to say to him, her thoughts took on another direction as she watched him dry his hair. She wanted to just reach out and…_my god woman stop it!_  
_  
_"Clark are you okay?" She asked, wanting to break the silence. He looked up at her but didn't say anything, which made her even more uncomfortable. "Well I guess since you're no longer trying to rip my clothes off, you must be back to normal." She said with a light chuckle. His face fell and he turned his head away, unable to look at her.

"I'm sorry about that Lois. I never meant to let it go that far."

"You didn't? Could've fooled me," She laughed. But her smile faded as she saw the worried expression on his face. She knew it shouldn't hurt but knowing that he was regretting even touching her was a little painful.

"Why don't you start at the beginning Clark, tell me what happened." She said in a soft tone. He looked at her and studied her face for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not to tell her.

"I'm…different Lois. I'm not like other men." He started.

"That's for sure." She whispered, not really meaning him to hear it, but when his eyes narrowed at her, she knew he had. "Um… what do you mean different? Is this about you being the red-blue-blur?"

"Sort of." He took a deep breath and turned his body to face her full on. "I have certain abilities that…"

"Are you meteor infected? Cause that would really explain a lot."

"No I'm not. Listen Lois this is going to be a lot to take in and I just want to make sure that you want to hear it." He looked at her pleadingly and she felt her heart begin to melt.

"Okay, I'm listening." She said seriously.

"Well I'm not exactly from around here. I'm from…" He paused, she frowned and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay Clark, you can trust me."

Clark smiled at her words, of course he knew he could trust her. It was never about trust and deep down he knew that she would accept him for who he is. She had done so already. It was just that after telling Chloe that Lois could never know who he really was, he was suddenly very nervous about revealing himself to her. He tried to tell himself that he had no choice, she already knew he was the blur, but as he thought about it, he knew that deep down he wanted her to know.

He was still afraid of the dangers she would face because of it but for the first time, he wasn't going to let that stand in the way of what he wanted. He knew she could take care of herself but he would protect her, he always had. He had argued with himself all the way here and for the half an hour he had spent outside her building, wondering whether he was doing the right thing.

Eventually he had decided that he'd had enough of living his life in fear of what could happen. Even if nothing happened between them, he still wanted her to know the real Clark Kent. He wanted to take that step, that chance. He just hoped that it wouldn't blow up in his face. At least this time she hadn't laughed at him.

"Clark?" He snapped back to attention to see her looking at him curiously. "Whatever it is can't be that bad."

"I'm not from earth Lois." He said, inwardly wincing at the way he'd blurted it out. He didn't want to freak her out. But then came the part that he had been dreading, her face lit up into a smile and she started laughing.

"You're an alien? Come on Smallville give me some credit." She said, her laughter fading a little but she was still chuckling. Clark bit his lower lip and glanced sideways at her.

"Wait, you're serious?" She asked, all trace of laughter gone now. He nodded.

"Wow…um…where…what uh." She took in a deep breath and shifted on the couch. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from a planet called Krypton. My parents sent me here when I was a baby." He said quietly, feeling a tiny stab of hurt from the fact that she had laughed at him again. But what had he really been expecting, it wasn't as if this was an every day occurrence. It was an awful lot to take in.

"Wow. So does that mean that there's more like you on this planet?" She asked, her eyes wide with anticipation and interest.

"No, I'm the only one. My planet was destroyed and that's why I was sent here."

"Oh I'm sorry." She said softly.

"What are you sorry for?"

"Well it must've been pretty hard growing up knowing all that."

"Actually I didn't even know until my parents told me when I was sixteen. Up to then I just thought that I was a normal human being but with special…advantages."

"Advantages, like what?" She asked, excited. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. After taking a deep breath he decided to just throw it all out there.

"I can run faster then the speed of sound, I can hear a dog barking ten miles away, I can see through solid objects and I can blast fire out of my eyes."

"Wait!" Lois held her hands up to her chest and despite the situation, he felt a laugh bubble up inside him. He knew exactly what she was going to say.

"You can see through things?" She said looking nervous, her hands splayed across her chest defensively, which struck him as a little odd considering that only a few hours ago, that was where his mouth had been. He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts.

"Lois, I have to focus to see through things. It doesn't work by simply looking." He said with an earnest expression. She frowned as she leaned a little closer to study him.

"Why didn't I see this before? The signs had always been there but I guess I just…I mean I lived with you for pete's sake." She stammered, getting up and walking over to the window.

"Lois…"

"We work together, in close proximity every day." She said, yelling a little. "Who else knows?"

"Well uh…Chloe knows and…Lana."

"Oh…" She said, he could see the disappointment on her face even though she tried hard to hide it.

That had happened the last time he'd told her, only he didn't really recognise it until later on, when she had thought she wasn't special. He didn't want her thinking that this time, he wanted to let her know that she really was special to him. More then even he realised at this point. But he was starting to.

"But I didn't tell them. They found out on their own. You're the first person I've ever really sat down and told." He said, getting up and walking over to her. She kept her body facing towards the window but tilted her head to watch him with suspicious eyes.

"So what does this red meteor rock do to you exactly? Turn you into a raging lust fuelled teenager?"

"No Lois it's not like that, The red rocks, well they sort of effect my emotions. It strips away my inhibitions and just lets me live my life the way I really want to. I don't feel guilt or care what I do, I hate the person I become."

"But it's still you." He frowned at that statement. "I mean it's a part of you. Somewhere deep inside that person wants to get out."

"I um…I guess so." He agreed reluctantly, not liking the way she said it but not able to deny it either.

"So this evening was just…what? You wanting to get some?" For a brief second he thought he saw a flash of pain in her eyes. He didn't know what to say, what could he tell her that would make any of what he'd done look better?

"Lois no, that's not what that was about. I meant every word I said to you. I…" He paused and looked down at the floor. "I'll be honest with you, yes in the past whenever I had been exposed that was what I thought about but this time was different,"

"How?" She said turning her whole body now to face him, her hands resting on her hips and a guarded look on her face.

"You were all I thought about. I only wanted you Lois." He whispered and then he saw what he had been dreading. She was scared.

"Why me of all people?" She asked, her eyes avoiding his.

He reached out and took one of her hands in his, why did she always have to feel that she wasn't good enough? He hated it. She always seemed so strong but sometimes he got a tiny glimpse of how vulnerable she could be. And this was why he hadn't wanted to tell her his secret. He wanted to protect her from him. But now that he had told her, he knew he was too far into this to turn back now. And he knew that he didn't want to either. He was eager to find out where this could all go.

"Lois, that rock wouldn't have made me act that way if the feelings weren't already there to begin with." He said, hoping she would catch on to his confession because he didn't know if he could actually say the words to her. Her eyes flew up to his as he smiled, she looked confused and still a little scared.

"I become very selfish and I go only for what I want. But you were in my head so much that I couldn't think of anything but you. Admittedly I wanted to take it to the next level but trust me, that is something that I have thought about before now." Her eyes widened at his bold statement and even he wondered where it had come from.

"You have huh?" She said and he caught a little smirk appearing. He reached his hand up and gently ran a finger down her cheek.

He nodded as his head slowly leaned down. He wasn't even aware that he'd been doing it until he felt her lips meet his. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss. She felt so good, he didn't want to let her go. It took a moment for him to register that she had pulled away and he opened his eyes as she took a step back.

"I'm sorry Clark, I can't. I want to believe everything you say but…this is…" She wrapped her arms around herself forming a protective barrier and he felt his heart sink. She was closing herself off.

"This is all just so much to take in. I guess I just want to be sure that you want me for me you know? Not just for…" She trailed off and looked away.

"Lois, I didn't mean to make you think that I wanted a repeat performance of this afternoon. But I just wanted you to know that I…like you." She looked back to him and offered him a small smile.

He frowned, wondering why he couldn't just tell her exactly what she meant to him. But now that he had actually said the words, he knew that they were true. He no longer saw her as 'just a friend' and it scared him but also made him hopeful.

"Look I understand that this was a big step for you, revealing yourself to me and I want you to know that I would never tell anyone what you have told me here. But I also know that you are still hurting over whatever happened with Lana and it's going to take you some time to get over that. I just don't want you to say something you may end up regretting if she ever comes back." He raised his eyebrows questioningly at her. How could she think that? Did she think that she was his rebound or something? That couldn't be further from the truth.

"It took me a while to get over the fact that she had gone again, I won't lie Lois. But I see things a lot clearer now. There were a lot of things that played into her leaving, but I finally realise that she's not the person I could see myself with in ten years time. For the first time in my life I know what I want." He said with more confidence then he felt.

"And what's that?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him. He let out a sigh and took a step towards her. She didn't move away but she didn't break her barrier either. He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared her straight in the eye.

"I want you. And if I'm honest I have to say that I was attracted to you even before Lana came back. I'm sorry for what I did to you at Chloe's wedding but it was just such a shock seeing her out of the blue like that."

"I understand that Clark and we weren't exactly going out or anything so don't worry about it." She said, a little too flippantly. He knew that he had hurt her and he really wanted to make it up to her. As he gazed softly into her eyes, he felt a warm feeling inside, he was falling for her. Hard.

"It's getting late Smallville, can we talk about this some other time? I'm exhausted." She said, suppressing a yawn.

"Yeah of course." He replied, letting go of her and heading towards the door.

"Where are you going?" She asked, hands on her hips again, striking that all too familiar pose.

"Home, you said you were tired."

"I'm not that bad Smallville, I wouldn't make you drive all the way home at this hour. No, you can stay on the couch but you'll have to take off those wet clothes." She said as she turned to go and get him some blankets. But then she stopped and looked at him. "Do Kryptonians even catch colds?"

"No, although I did once but that's a long story."

"Hmm okay," She said with a shrug before resuming her hunt. She returned a few minutes later with a pillow and a spare quilt.

"Thanks Lois. I really am sorry, about earlier." He said, offering her a genuine smile as he went about taking off his jacket.

"It's okay Smallville. Goodnight,"

He grabbed her hand as she was about to leave, leaning in close, he placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Goodnight Lois."


	7. Chapter 6

**_Chapter Six_**

She awoke as the first rays of sunlight started streaming into her room. She flung an arm over her eyes and tried in vain to drift off again. But it was no good, sleep eluded her. Slowly she raised her head off the pillow as the tantalising smell of bacon assaulted her nostrils and her mouth started watering.

Glancing at the clock and groaning as she realised it was only seven-thirty, she flung off the bedcovers and reached for her robe, slipping it on effortlessly as she made her way to the door. She stopped dead in her tracks as she took in the sight of Clark standing in front of the stove, his back to her, and he was…whistling?

She stood leaning against the doorway, crossing her arms and watching him with a smile. He seemed happy. As if a weight had been lifted. She had no idea how hard these last few weeks had been for him but she knew how much he had pined for Lana in the past.

No matter what he said, her leaving again had to have been hard on him. But now, he looked…free. Maybe she should give him another chance?

"Good morning Lois." He said without turning around.

"How'd you know I was there, I didn't make a sound?" She asked as she went over to the coffee machine and poured herself a cup. He smiled at her and tapped his ear.

"Ah I see. Wow…" She sighed as she sat down at the table. "I still can't believe you're the red-blue-blur." She said it slowly as if savouring the words. "I mean, how did I not see it?" He flashed her a wide grin as he set their plates down on the table and took a seat across from her. She grabbed her fork and started digging in.

"I guess you only saw the dorky farm boy." He laughed.

"Well I still see that…" She shrugged, then grinned at him. "I still don't quite understand why you went and got yourself suspended Smallville. Not that I'm not grateful or anything but it was pretty stupid, you could lose your job because of it. You could've just done what Tess asked."

"I could've but she wasn't being fair to you Lois. It was hardly your fault you were arrested. What did happen that night?" She frowned down at her plate.

"It was nothing. Guy got a little friendly, I put him in his place. No big deal." She shrugged, ignoring the flash of anger she could see in his eyes.

"Mm this is so good. I'm so glad your mom taught you how to cook Smallville." She said between mouthfuls of bacon, changing the subject quickly.

"Lois?"

"Yeah?" She looked up to see him staring at her. His expression was serious, almost nervous.

"Would you go out to dinner with me sometime?" Her mouth froze open just as she was about to take another bite.

"Um…" She put down her fork and stared at her hands in her lap. What was she supposed to say to that?

"Look I know that I dropped a huge bombshell on you last night and you probably don't even believe that what I said about Lana was true but…" He paused, a frown wrinkling his brow. "I just want a chance to prove to you that everything I said last night, I meant."

She raised her head and found herself looking straight into his eyes and for a moment, the sheer honesty she saw there, took her breath away.

"How?" She whispered, not even aware that she had spoken.

"How what?" He asked, confused.

"I know that you feel like you want to move on and that's a good thing it really is but…what do you really see happening between us? We're not even compatible Smallville, we drive each other crazy." She got up and took her plate over to the sink.

"I always thought that was a good thing." He replied as he got up to do the same.

"We argue all the time, we constantly rub each other up the wrong way…." They were standing less then a foot apart at the sink. Clark moved a little closer, his hand resting on the sink, barely an inch away from hers.

"Keeps things from getting boring." A little closer and their fingers were touching.

"I'm very difficult to put up with," She stammered, trying to take a step back but finding herself trapped between him and the other cupboard.

"You're honest, you speak your mind. There's nothing wrong with that." He said, smirking,

"I'm stubborn and abrasive and selfish…." She was really reaching for things to throw at him now, but having him so close was seriously unnerving her.

"Lois you may be a lot of things but selfish is not one of them." He said softly, finally placing his hand over hers. She flinched a little at the contact but made no move to take it away.

"Are you sure you don't have some of that stuff left in your system, because the Clark I know wouldn't be this…" She trailed off as he raised his eyebrows and grinned.

"This what? Bold? I don't know, maybe being on that red kryptonite gave me the strength to finally do something. To go for what I want rather then sit back and watch it pass me by until it's too late to do anything about it. I don't know why but whenever I'm around you I'm a different person."

"I'm not sure that's a good thing Smallville." She snorted.

"You know what I mean, you bring out a different side of me." He stopped and placed a hand on her cheek. "How did I not see it before?"

"See what?" She asked, feeling a little uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze. It seemed as if he could see right through her, which she realised, wouldn't actually be too difficult for him.

"I keep thinking to myself, wondering when I started having these feelings for you. I can't exactly pin point it but I can't stop thinking about you Lois. All I know is, I don't want to go on pretending anymore. I know that I hurt you but I'm asking…is there a chance?" His eyes looked at her almost pleadingly and she could feel her resolve weakening.

He was saying everything that she wanted to hear and it felt wonderful. But there was a little nagging voice in the back of her head that just wouldn't shut up. Telling her that maybe he only wanted her because he couldn't have what his heart truly desired.

But what if she was wrong? What if he really was over Lana and she turned him down? What if she had the chance to be with someone she loved and she blew it because of her own insecurities? She knew Clark and deep down she knew that he would never intentionally hurt her. And she also knew that she would hate herself if she didn't take the chance.

But instead of telling him what she was thinking, she found herself reaching up to touch his face. He looked nervous, as if he were expecting nothing less then a rejection from her.  
She pulled his face down towards hers and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

"Does that answer your question?" She smirked, chuckling at the dazed look on his face.

"I guess it does." He said, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her towards him. She tried to ignore the fluttering sensation in her stomach as he stared down at her, instead focussing on what she could see in his eyes. It was very clear that something was there, some attraction. But then a frown formed and he tilted his head to the side.

"What is it?"

"Someone's in trouble. I'm sorry Lois, I have to go." He said with a regretful tone.

"Don't worry about me Smallville, go…save the day." She said with a smile. He kissed her on the cheek and sped out of the apartment.

"Now that's hot." Lois whispered, the short gust of wind blowing her hair around her face.

* * *

As the sun was about to start its descent, casting a beautiful yellow glow over Smallville, Clark stood at the window in his loft, thinking. This was his favourite time of the day. The time when everything would wind down and he could reflect on the day's events.

He'd been out most of the day helping people but eventually had returned to Lois' apartment where she had ordered them both Chinese take away. They chatted as they ate and Clark felt happy that their normal relationship seemed to be back on track. He didn't want to lose her friendship, that was too important to him.

However neither one of them seemed to be able to ignore the lingering tension in the air. So eventually he had come right out and asked her. After arranging a day, time and place for their 'date' Clark left feeling happier then he had in a long time. He closed his eyes and his lips curved up into a smile as he thought of her.

He was so lost in those thoughts that he didn't even hear the person standing on the stairs behind him. She moved closer, trying to make as little noise as possible even though she knew he should be able to hear her a mile away, and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her, a little startled, but as he looked into her eyes his smile faded a little and his eyes widened.

"Kara?"

"You're slipping Clark, I could've been anyone walking up those stairs." She laughed as he hugged her fiercely.

"What are you doing here? I thought you left to look for Kandor?"

"I did. But after a few months of searching, I never found it. I know it's out there somewhere and I just needed some time to regroup and figure out where to go next. I'm going to resume my search but I just missed you and believe it or not, I missed this place… so here I am. Mind if I crash here for a couple of days?" She asked, her blonde curls bouncing as she swayed from side to side whilst grinning at him.

"Of course not. You can stay as long as you like, this is your home too Kara. Don't forget that." She nodded and then went over to the sofa, stretching her legs out on the table in front of her as she settled back.

"So, what's been happening since I left?"

"Well a lot's happened actually. I don't even know where to start." He said as he sat down next to her.

"Well start from the beginning."

"Okay well um…Chloe and Jimmy got married. We had the wedding here in the barn, I gave her away." He smiled proudly.

"Here huh? Didn't think that would be Chloe's style." She chuckled.

"It was more of a sentimental thing." He replied, taking his cell phone out of his pocket as it beeped. He looked at the message and without even realising it, a small smile appeared.

"Who's that?" Kara asked.

"Hmm?" He snapped his attention back to his cousin. "Oh it's just Lois."

Kara tilted her head to the side and watched him as he typed out a reply. Something was different with him. She had sensed it when they had been trapped with her in the Phantom Zone. She knew that Clark was protective over anyone he cared about but to actually risk letting loose other zoners to protect Lois wasn't something she had believed he would do.

She caught a rare glimpse of how important Lois really was to him. And knowing Clark, she would bet that he didn't have the same insight. He really was rather slow when it came to women.

"How is Lois?" Kara asked after he put his phone back in his pocket.

"She's good I think." Noticing his frown she leaned forward.

"Why you think?"

"Well I uh…there was an incident yesterday. I uh…told her everything."

"Everything?" She said, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"Yep, everything."

"What made you change your mind? I told you Lois was strong Clark, she could handle it."

"I know and she did, she handled it really well. I still can't believe that I told her. But I'm glad that I finally did it."

Kara noticed the way his eyes took on a slight dreamy look as he talked about Lois. She wondered if he knew that he had feelings for her. It was blatantly obvious.

"I just hope it isn't going to put her in danger like everyone else who knows about me."

"She's tough Clark, she can handle anything life throws at her. But what made you tell her? I know that you wouldn't willingly tell her your secret unless there was more to it." She squinted her eyes and stared at him.

And there it was, the slight flush in his cheeks and the way he avoided her gaze, a tell-tale sign that he had fallen for her. It made Kara happy, to know that he had someone as loyal and honest as Lois in his life. Though she had never really gotten to know Lois very well, she knew enough to know that she thought a lot of Clark and the way she had refused to leave him alone in the Phantom Zone made Kara think that maybe she cared more for him then even she knew.

Kara had a feeling that Lois played a much bigger part in Clark's life then he wanted to admit. Though it did make her wonder exactly how much had changed since she had left.

"You like her don't you?" Kara asked in a teasing tone, nudging his shoulder playfully.

"Of course I do, she's one of my best friends." He replied, evasively. Kara laughed as she stood up, her blonde hair falling in waves around her face.

"And…" She stopped at the top step and turned to face him.

"And what?" She pressed.

"We have a uh…date on Friday." He said as he stood, squaring his shoulders as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Kara simply smiled and nodded.

"It's about time Clark." She said with a laugh. She turned to walk down the stairs and crashed straight into a wall of flesh.

"Whoa there." Oliver grabbed her by the shoulders to steady her.

"Sorry." She replied, her eyes automatically taking on a mind of their own as they surveyed him. He was very handsome, his sandy blonde hair and chiselled features were gorgeous. But his eyes, they were the strangest combination of blue and green that she had ever seen.

"Hey Oliver, you remember my cousin Kara," Clark said, walking over to them.

"I can't say I do I'm sorry, have we met?" He asked, his eyes glinting as they stared straight into hers.

"I don't think so, I think I would remember." She said, whispering the last part and completely forgetting that Clark would be able to hear it.

She could feel her cheeks reddening and suddenly realised that she must look like Clark had when she mentioned Lois. She glanced at Clark out of the corner of her eye and saw him standing there, arms folded and a big grin on his face. He was enjoying this.

"Well I'll leave you boys to it." She said, quickly rushing out of the barn and into the house.

"Something I said?" Oliver said, glancing back over his shoulder.

"She's just exhausted from her trip."

"How long is she in town for?"

"I'm not sure, though I don't think it's very long." Clark replied, fully aware of why Oliver was asking and he wasn't sure if he liked the idea of Oliver getting friendly with his cousin, especially with his reputation with women.

But that thought only served to conjure up images of Lois and Oliver together and Clark had to quickly divert his attention as a strange and overwhelming feeling of jealousy washed over him.

"Did I just hear that you and Lois have a date?" Oliver said with a smirk. Clark let out a sigh, he really should be more careful when talking to someone up here.

"Maybe, but that's my business." Clark replied with a slight smile. He wasn't comfortable talking to Oliver about Lois.

"Okay, but just be careful okay Clark?" Clark frowned, wondering what Oliver meant by that. He shook it off and decided to change the subject.

"So Oliver, what brings you out here?"

Oliver stood face to face with him and rubbed his chin, something Clark had noticed he only did when he was nervous or anxious about something.

"I think Lex is still alive."


	8. Chapter 7

**_Chapter Seven  
_**

"What do you mean he's still alive?" Chloe asked from her seat as Clark and Oliver stood before her later that evening.

"How can you know that for sure?" She fixed Oliver with a meaningful stare. Clark sensed something pass between them that he knew they weren't telling him about. He hated it.

"I'm not a hundred percent sure Chloe. But after Lex was…" He glanced over at Clark then back to Chloe. "Killed, I had some people do some digging but no body was found. But three weeks ago I received some news that someone, possibly Lex, had been sending emails to Tess Mercer again."

"Tess? I thought she declared him dead months ago? What does she have to do with any of this?" Chloe asked, clearly confused.

"Tess told me that she'd turned her back on Lex after what he did to her. It was part of the reason she suggested a merger of my company and Luthorcorp. However I still can't be sure that her intentions were entirely noble. She could still be in contact with Lex and simply playing me. She was the one who brought these emails to my attention. She doesn't know who sent them but she has her suspicions that it's Lex too. But I still don't trust her." Oliver replied, he sat down next to Chloe and picked up a piece of paper.

"I need you to look into these Chloe. Hopefully you can tell me where the messages were sent from. I've tried all the tracing tricks I know so I'm hoping you can pull off a miracle. Can you do that?"

"I can try." Chloe frowned and took the paper from him. After a few moments scanning it she looked up at Clark.

"Clark if this is true, he's still a threat to you."

Clark paced back and forth in front of the round desk where the high-tech computer systems of the Isis foundation were set up. Clark was proud of Chloe for what she had done with the place and even more so now that it doubled as Watchtower headquarters.

He had been a little apprehensive about Chloe being involved with Oliver's missions but hadn't really been given any say in the matter. Chloe informed him that this was what she wanted to do with her life and she wasn't in any danger, she was simply a helping hand behind the scenes for the Green Arrow and Co.

Clark didn't deny that this was something she felt she wanted to do but he also suspected that this was a way of escaping the recent drama of her rocky marriage, which was only now just getting back on track.

"We've been here before Chloe, there's nothing we can do until we know for sure. So let's not jump the gun until then."

"You're awfully calm about this Clark," Oliver commented and Clark fixed him with an almost accusatory glare.

"Look what happened last time we rushed in before we were prepared. If he's still alive, we'll handle it. But not until we know for sure." He said resolutely.

"I'm surprised you're not more upset about this Clark, after what he did to you and…"

"Chloe." Clark cut her off.

The last thing he needed right now was to be reminded of that day. But not for the reasons Chloe was thinking. Lana had been right that night in his loft, they had made their choice on that roof. They had made the decision to do what needed to be done.

And not for the first time, he wondered if it was because both of them knew that their relationship could never really be what they wanted. He wondered if they both on some level, knew that they weren't going to work out, that they were never meant to be anything more then they had been.

But he had been blind, he thought that being with Lana would be enough because she knew who he was and accepted it. And he realised, with a little sadness, that maybe he just wanted to be with her because it was easy.

They had tried so many times to make it work and each time both of them ended up getting hurt. No, it was better this way. He felt that he could finally move on with his life. Become the person he was supposed to be.

"Well I gotta go, I need to check up on some things." Oliver stood up and headed to the door. "Let me know as soon as you have anything Chloe." She nodded her reply and watched him leave.

"What aren't you telling me Chloe?" Clark asked once he was gone. She whirled around to face him then stared straight ahead at the large monitors on the walls.

"What do you mean?"

"It's pretty obvious that something's going on around here, you and Oliver are hiding something from me aren't you?" He sat down in the seat where Oliver had been and leaned his elbows on the desk.

"We're not hiding anything Clark don't be so paranoid," She snorted.

"Chloe," He said with exaggerated patience.

"Clark really I don't know what you're talking about. Besides, you're not exactly the right person to be lecturing me about keeping a secret or two." She stared at him, he knew she was hiding something but since she clearly wasn't going to tell him he decided to change the subject. He would find out sooner or later. Secrets always had a way of coming out.

"Fine. Anyway I should go, I promised Kara I'd spend the evening catching up with her." He got off his stool and walked to the door.

"Clark?" He stopped as Chloe walked over to him.

"If Lex is still alive…"

"And that's a big if Chlo." She ignored his interruption and carried on.

"_If_ he is still alive, what are you going to do? I know you don't want to talk about it but I really don't want anything to happen to you or anyone else that you care about." She said carefully. His brow furrowed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think you know." She said pointedly.

"Do you have a problem with Lois and I going out to dinner?" Chloe stood up and placed her hands on her hips. She shot him an angry look.

"You know what Clark, what you do is your own business but Lois is my cousin and I don't want her to get hurt, emotionally or physically."

"Chloe you know I would never hurt her." He said defiantly and with a little annoyance. Did Chloe really think he would hurt Lois on purpose?

"I'm not so sure Clark. I want to believe that you're over Lana but I can't. Not yet."

"I don't need this." He said turning his back on her but she kept pushing.

"Just promise me that you'll be good to her Clark. She's been hurt enough in the past."

"Chloe…"

"No! Clark I know you and I know that you think you like Lois but are you really sure? Lana was the love of your life!" Getting irritated now, he fixed her with a cold stare. Why was she pushing him on this? Why now?

"Chloe…"

"You were in love with her Clark, how can you forget that?" She yelled.

"Because I'm not in love with her anymore!" He shouted back. His eyes widened as he took in what he had just said. Chloe stood back as he fell onto the nearby sofa, a small smile playing at her lips.

"I knew that Clark. I just wanted you to admit it to yourself." She said softly.

And then he knew, almost as if something inside had clicked, he knew that what he had blurted out in the heat of the moment was true. Lana was not the love of his life.

"I still love her Chloe." He whispered, looking down at the ground and then up to her. "But I'm not in love with her. Does that make any sense?" Chloe nodded, sat down and placed her hand on his.

"Yeah it does. She was your first love Clark, that's never going to change. You'll never stop caring about her, she'll always have a place in your heart. But just because things didn't work out with Lana, it doesn't mean that there isn't someone even better out there for you. I used to believe that I was in love with you Clark and for a long time I was. But I moved on and you know what? I found something even better. No offence." She chuckled.

"None taken. I'm glad you did Chloe."

"But you see, without you, I wouldn't have realised that my love for Jimmy is strong. That I was meant to be with him. So you see, things don't always turn out the way you plan. Sometimes they turn out even better. Even if they do take a major nose dive once in a while." She added grimly. "But I also see the signs that that person is a lot closer then you realise."

"Lois?" He asked ruefully, Chloe smiled and nodded.

"I've never seen you so fired up with anyone else Clark. She definitely brings out the best and worst in you. I hate to say it but I can't remember ever seeing that kind of passion between you and Lana." She said softly, as if he were going to blow up in her face.

But he knew she meant well and that her little experiment of pushing him just now was a way of getting him to face what he already knew but wasn't willing to say out loud. Because if he said it, it would make it real. That he was allowed to move on and be happy and shouldn't feel guilty about it.

"I don't know if passion is the right word." He laughed, pulling his best friend into a hug, "But Lois is definitely one of a kind."

"That she is." Chloe replied, smiling as he released her and opened the door.

"Thanks Chlo. I'll call you tomorrow, maybe we can do lunch?"

"Yeah sounds great."

* * *

Friday night came round faster then he'd realised and Clark found himself standing motionless in front of his bedroom mirror. He was nervous, very nervous. He didn't really understand why, it was just dinner. Just dinner with Lois. Alone.

Okay so he knew why he was nervous. This was a big step for him. It was unfamiliar ground. If it were even possible, he felt more nervous about tonight then he had when he'd confessed his secret to her. He fiddled with his tie for what felt like the hundredth time and let out a sigh.

"Everything okay?" Kara's voice drifted in from the doorway and he looked over to see her leaning against the frame, a sly smile on her face.

"I'm not sure." He replied, keeping his eyes fixed to his reflection. He felt rather then heard her walk up beside him.

"It's just Lois you know?" She offered gently.

"I know, it's just…" He trailed off, stepping backwards to sit on the edge of his bed.

"Just what?" He hesitated with his answer.

"I think I know. But Clark, don't think too much okay? Just enjoy the night. It's not as if you're proposing to her. Just be yourself, she's still the same friend you've always known."

He glanced up at Kara's smiling face and mouthed a silent thank you. She nodded and walked out of the room. With a final glance of his watch, Clark grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

* * *

  
**  
**"Is she ready?" The deep rasp of the man's voice through the phone made him shudder. Looking at the woman lying unconscious on the table in front of him, he sighed wearily.

The current conditions he was being forced to work under were a little less than comfortable. He'd been brought to a place he didn't know, was forced to stay here day and night, and only had himself and his caller for company and occasionally the person who brought him his supplies of food. The bed that was in the corner of his lab wasn't exactly luxurious either.

"She needs a little more time sir." He was tired. Working around the clock to appease his boss was exhausting but had to be done none the less.

"How much more?"

"At least another couple of days, maybe three." He replied, rubbing his sore eyes before returning his attention back to his computer screen. This was an impossible task, one he wasn't sure he was going to be able to pull off. But he couldn't afford to fail. His life depended on it.

"You've had more than enough time for this doctor, I expect results. And soon. Your head isn't the only one on the line here."

The doctor closed his eyes and sat back down as the line went dead. Leaning his head back, he ran his hands over his face vigorously. He didn't know how he had gotten himself into this mess but there was only one way out of it.

Working alone on this only made it worse but he wasn't allowed any help. He was told to simply complete the task at hand, to not ask any questions and to keep his mouth shut.

The last one he had no problem with, even if he could, how would he be able to tell someone what was going on here? Even he knew it was ludicrous. With a resigned sigh, he stood and walked over to the table where the woman lay. She looked as if she were simply sleeping. She had no idea what was happening to her, or what was about to happen.

"I'm sorry but I have no choice."

He went back over to his desk, pushed a few buttons and watched as the machines whirred to life. If he weren't so scared, he could probably allow himself to be proud of what he had achieved.

He knew he wasn't the first to do something like this, but he was the first person to do it alone. Without any help at all. And that was something he was proud of, even if it did make him feel like he was the worst person in the world.


	9. Chapter 8

**_Chapter Eight_**

Lois flung open the door. "You're early. Just give me a minute." She rushed back off into her bedroom before Clark could even say hello.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him and smiled as his hearing picked up her cursing, she seemed to be struggling with her shoes. At least he wasn't alone in being nervous.

However his smile quickly disappeared as she returned. His eyes took in every detail. Her dark brown hair fell in gentle waves around her shoulders and he had to suppress the sudden urge to run his hands through it.

She wore a casual yet very elegant black sleeveless dress that showed just the right amount of cleavage to make his mouth run dry and it ended just above her knees, displaying the length of her legs. He'd always known she was attractive but seeing her tonight, he thought she was simply breathtaking.

"You look…" He sucked in a deep breath and held it. She was stunning.

He mentally kicked himself for not having seen it before. But now he had finally realised it, he suspected that he wouldn't be able to think about much else. Or anyone else for that matter. Lois had taken up residence in his mind and it didn't seem that she was going to leave any time soon. Which was fine with him.

"Clark!" He snapped his eyes up to hers as she clicked her fingers in front of his face. "Where did you go?"

"Nowhere." He answered quickly. One side of his mouth tilted up into a half smile.

"You look beautiful Lois." He could hear the sudden spike in her heartbeat. Or was that his? He wasn't sure but he knew his own was thundering so loud he was sure she could hear it too.

"Thank you. You look good too."

After a moment of silence, each one eyeing the other, Lois broke the connection and went over to the coffee table to get her purse.

"You ready to go?" He asked, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Yeah," She started putting her jacket on and Clark stepped in to help.

She smiled as he held it up for her and she slipped her arms in, turning her back to him. He gently swept up her hair to pull it out of the jacket and felt her shiver as his fingers brushed against her bare neck.

He was so close, all he had to do was lean in a little further and he would be able to feel her skin against his lips. And the intensity with which he wanted to do that, surprised him a little. She brought him back to reality when she turned around, a smile plastered on her face but he could see a little flush in her cheeks.

"We should really get going if we're going to make it in time for dinner." She said, her voice sounded a little strained, he thought. She walked over to the door and held it open for him.

Again their eyes locked on each other outside in the hallway. Clark didn't say anything, he simply smiled and took her hand in his. She gave him a tentative smile back as she entwined her fingers in his and they walked like that the entire way there.

* * *

Back at the Kent farm Kara was just finishing up the last of Clark's chores. It was the least she could do since he was letting her stay here. It felt good to be back here with him but she wasn't sure how she felt about not being able to find Kandor. She had been certain that it still existed, somewhere out there. She needed to know for sure one way or the other.

But for now, she was happy to stay here and recharge her batteries. She paused as she reached the porch, sat down on the bench and looked up at the night sky. The moon was out and the stars were twinkling brightly. It really was quite beautiful. She could see why Clark loved this planet so much. She hoped him and Lois were having a good time. He needed a little more laughter in his life.

She had heard all about what had happened to Lana, he'd been eerily calm whilst talking about it. Not the same Clark she had left behind. But everything he had told her made her wonder that if Lana had loved him as much as she claimed, why did she go to such incredible lengths to keep him away from her while she went after that suit? And why did she feel the need to be all powerful.

She had gotten to know Lana a lot last year when she had been living with Clark, she was a nice person, always friendly and always willing to lend an ear. But even then Kara had seen that she and Clark had had their problems. Clearly they did not belong together. Something always got in their way.

Kara hoped that he would be able to find happiness with Lois, she was definitely a challenge for him. He deserved that kind of happiness after all the darkness in his life.

"Beautiful aren't they?" Startled, she jumped up, ready to attack should she need to. Oliver stood on the first step holding his hands up.

"It's just me. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Trying to get herself in check, she shrugged. "You didn't. Um…Clark's not here."

He frowned for a moment before his smile returned and she found herself smiling back. "It's okay, I just wanted him to look at something. I forgot he has a date with Lois tonight. I wonder how that's going?" He chuckled as he placed a folder on the bench next to her.

""I hope it's going great. I think they would make an interesting couple. Lois is…well she's Lois."

"She certainly is," Oliver nodded.

"You used to date her didn't you?" Kara asked, not really sure where the question had come from and why she had voiced it.

"Yeah for a while. But it didn't work out." He sat down next to her and she was suddenly all too aware of his body leaning close to hers.

"Why not?" Her voice sounded strange to her own ears. Why did she want to know the answer to that?

"We just wanted different things I guess. But we're still friends and she means a lot to me." Kara nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, thanks for dropping this by. I'll make sure he gets this." She said. He nodded his head, smiled again, got up and turned to leave.

It was a strange feeling, this attraction, she knew that was what it was. But she never expected to be attracted to someone from earth. She supposed it had something to do with not being able to truly let go of Krypton and the life she had lived there.

It suddenly occurred to her that these emotions that she said were Clark's weakness, were actually a hell of a lot more complicated then she thought. Before she knew what she was doing, she stood up and took a step forward.

"Would you like to stay for some coffee Oliver?"

* * *

Two hours later Lois and Clark had just finished their meal and had ordered their dessert. Lois had to admit that she was still more then a little nervous and the tension back in her apartment earlier had only served to increased it ten fold. She had put the feeling of his fingers on her neck to the back of her mind and was surprised to find herself having such a good time.

She had been friends with Clark for years and yet she had never really spent any real alone time with him. Not like this anyway. This was new. But definitely not bad. They joked, they laughed, their banter was still there and that felt good. Normal even.

They talked about anything and everything, Clark told her more about his abilities. She hadn't asked him to, but he said that he wanted her to know everything there was to know about him. She felt a little warmth inside at the gesture.

He looked so handsome tonight, of course he did most of the time but what made him look better tonight was the smile she saw in his eyes. For once he wasn't worrying about something or upset about something. He was just happy. And that made her happy.

The waiter brought their desserts over and lingered longer then he should have. Lois noted the frown appear on Clark's face but before he could say anything, the waiter smiled at her and walked away.

"He was checking you out." Clark said quietly.

"Huh…good to know." Lois shrugged, her mouth full of heavenly chocolate mousse. But a little flutter started in her stomach at the look on his face. Was he…jealous? Clark never got jealous. At least not over her anyway.

"So Kara's back?" Lois decided a change of subject was in order. She watched as Clark shifted his eyes from the waiter to her and his smile slowly returned. He had a gorgeous smile, she thought.

"Yeah but I'm not sure how long she's staying. She's been searching for a piece of our planet that may have broken off and survived. Her home city. But she couldn't find it and she said that she missed me and this planet so she wanted to take a break before she starts looking again."

Lois noticed how his eyes lit up at the mention of his cousin. She felt a little sad that he must've spent all these years feeling so alone, but with Kara now in his life, he wasn't anymore. She was a blood relative, his family and his only link to the civilisation that he would never know.

She had never really gotten that close to Kara, their paths never crossed that much but she knew that she loved Clark. Lois could see that she also took after Clark, after hearing of her struggle to stay in that awful place she and Clark had found her in, just to protect this planet and others from anyone escaping with her. She made a mental note to visit Kara sometime before she took off again. She would like to get to know her a little more.

"Well she's here for now. I…" She stopped when she realised that he was looking at her with an amused grin. "What?" He shocked her by reaching over the table and wiping his thumb slowly and softly across her top lip, his eyes boring into hers.

"Sorry, you had…" He explained quietly, pointing to his own mouth.

"Oh…thanks." It suddenly became very warm in the restaurant and she could feel her cheeks flushing. But she also noticed that his were too and it made her feel a little less exposed. Her expectations of this evening hadn't been that high. She was simply treating it as two friends going out together for a meal. Hoping for anything more then that this soon would only be asking for more heartache. But the little things that Clark did every now and then made her feel…special. And she liked it. She couldn't remember the last time a man made her feel this way.

"So I take it you haven't heard from Tess?" She asked, trying to get her feelings under control.

He shook his head. "No and I can't imagine what's taking her so long. It should be pretty cut and dried, you're a great reporter, you don't deserve to be punished because of some guy."

"Well it looks like she's going to do it anyway. Looks like I'm going to be asking for my old job back at the Inquisitor. If they'd even have me back."

"She won't fire you Lois. She can't. Who else is going to bring her the biggest story of a lifetime?"

"What do you mean?"

Clark leaned over the table and whispered. "I want you to write my story. Obviously not the Clark Kent part but the rest. I want people to know that I'm here to help. And I can't think of a better reporter for the job."

"I don't know Clark. I know I've been obsessing about getting an interview with you for the last few months but now that I know who he is…who you are. Well…it changes things."

"How so?" He asked. He looked genuinely confused as to why she would turn down such a good offer. Truthfully, she was kicking herself for turning it down.

"Well it's just that…when I didn't know who the blur was it made it easier somehow. It was a challenge to get that article. But now I know it's you I don't know if splashing your story over the front page of a newspaper that's read all over the country would be a good idea. What if something happened to you because of it? I don't think I could live with myself."

"Lois you know there's not a lot that can hurt me. As long as you don't put what can in the article we should be fine. And besides, you're not going to name any names. It'll just be a quick Q&A that we both know the public wants. They need answers Lois. The need to know that I'm here to help them and I'm not a threat."

Something in his voice changed at the last part and she wondered why it seemed so important to him to have everyone know that he wasn't a threat to the world. But something told her that deep down, all he really wanted was to be accepted.

"Well when you put it that way…" She said biting her lower lip. "I'd love to do it Clark."

"Thank you. I know you'll do a great job."

Eventually they both managed to finish their dessert and Lois went to get their jackets while Clark paid the bill. She had tried to pay for her half, she was a modern woman after all, but Clark had refused to take it and so, reluctantly, she had let him pay.

The night air felt good on her burning cheeks as they left the restaurant and started walking down the street. She felt Clark take her hand again as he led her across the road and back towards her apartment.

"I can't believe I had such a great time with you tonight Smallville." Lois said happily as they stopped.

Clark frowned at that statement. "Gee thanks." He said sarcastically and she realised how it had sounded.

"Sorry, you know what I meant. I really did have a great time. I feel like I've seen a whole new side of you these last few days." He stepped closer to her and she looked into his eyes.

"And?" He asked, his voice husky.

"And what?"

"Do you like it?" She took a moment to consider it, at the same time being aware of how close he was to her now.

"Yeah, I like it Clark. But you're still the same Clark Kent I've always known. Whether you're from Smallville or Krypton, it doesn't change who you are. Who you've always been." He smiled gratefully at her and she knew that he had been eager to know the answer to that question ever since he'd told her about himself.

He was looking at her with an intensity that stole her breath. He had never looked at her that way before. Without thinking, she raised her hand and touched his chest, over his heart. It occurred to her the last time she had done so, she had walked away with her heart in her hands.

But this time, it was different. His head was leaning in, so slowly. She closed her eyes and lost herself in his kiss. It was sweet, tender, gentle. His kisses when he had been on that red stuff were hard and fast and rough. But it didn't feel like him.

This however, this kiss was slowly robbing her of every sense she had. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he gripped her waist, pulling her against him. The kiss became passionate and she was struggling to keep herself upright.

But suddenly her common sense kicked in and she became all too aware that they were practically all over each other in the middle of the street. She pulled back and took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Sorry." He murmured but with a look that told her he was anything but. Lois smiled, took his hand and together they continued walking.

"Lois?" She turned around to face the voice behind them. Her eyes widened as she recognised who it was.

"What the hell are you doing here? What…didn't get enough the first time?" She spat. Mark Jacobs winced a little at her hidden threat but stood firm. His brown eyes shooting across to Clark but dismissing him quickly before turning them back on Lois.

"I just wanted to talk to you. I'm really sorry for what I did and I just wanted you to know that I don't blame you for kicking my ass. I don't know what came over me,"

She felt Clark stiffen next to her and she glanced up at him from the corner of her eye to see his eyes sparkling with anger.

"Well let's just forget about it. It's done. Now I suggest you get out of my face." She said with a little more venom then she meant. But being with Clark and seeing this guy was not a good combination.

"Does that mean you forgive me?" He asked, taking another step towards her and Lois instinctively backed away a little. And then all she could see was Clark's broad back as he stepped in front of her, effectively placing himself between her and Mark.

"You heard what she said. I think you should leave… now." Clark growled and Lois could see him bunching his fists at his sides. She placed her hands on his back to try and calm him and for a moment it worked but he was still holding himself very stiff. As if poised, ready for action.

Lois wanted to be annoyed that he was doing this, she knew how to take care of herself, had been doing so for years. She didn't need a protector but she couldn't help but find it incredibly endearing.

"Of course, I uh didn't mean to interrupt anything. I just really wanted to say I was sorry." Mark said, looking up at Clark with trepidation. Mark wasn't short by any means, but Clark at six foot three towered over him.

"Get lost. And don't ever come near her again." Clark said, keeping his voice level.

Mark glanced around his shoulder at Lois, who glared back, nodded and then left. Clark turned around to face her and she had to admit that seeing Mark out and about like nothing had happened made her slightly uncomfortable. He hadn't really gotten anywhere with her, but the implication had been there and she would be lying if she said that she hadn't been at least a little scared.

But with everything that had happened in the last few days with Clark, she had completely forgotten about it. It was just her luck that he had to pop up tonight of all nights.

"Are you okay?" Clark asked, the concern clearly showing in his eyes.

"Sure I am Smallville." She said in her usual breezy tone. She never let anyone see when she was scared, she only showed the world the tough side of Lois Lane because that was how she'd been raised.

"Lois, it's me. Are you okay?" He repeated, slowly.

"Yeah I'm fine Clark. Thanks for stepping in but I could've handled it myself." She said but softly so that he wouldn't take offence. He had only been looking out for her after all.

"Yeah, I noticed that. His face still looks pretty bad. What on earth did you do to him?" Clark chuckled.

"I taught him that he should never mess with a Lane." She smirked, squaring her shoulders and standing tall. But Clark's expression grew serious as he reached out to touch her lip where the already healed but still a little visible cut was.

"You should never have had to do that though." His large thumb gently caressing her lips was making her shiver.

"Well it happened and like I said, it was no big deal. He got what he deserved and I'm okay so that's that." She looked around her, grateful that the street was mainly deserted and sighed.

"Well I guess I should go. Thanks Clark. I really did have a great time tonight."

"How about we do it again tomorrow?" He said as she began to walk away.

Lois blinked. "You asking for another date Kent?" She said with a grin. But as he stepped closer again, her heartbeat picked up a notch.

"I really enjoyed spending time with you tonight Lois. I don't really get to see that much of you anymore. What with you avoiding me at work and all…" His eyes flashed, challenging her to deny it.

"I haven't been avoiding you Smallville believe it or not but I actually had work to do. Besides, a little space was good for us. Gave me time to get some perspective. But then you went and blew all that out of the water anyway." She laughed.

"I just want a chance to prove to you that I mean what I say. I really do like you Lois."

"I believe you Clark. And…I kinda like you too if I'm honest." She said wrinkling her nose but then she smiled up at him.

"So tomorrow?" He asked again.

She nodded lightly, not trusting her voice anymore because he was looking at her again with that intensity. It was a little unnerving coming from Clark, and totally unexpected. Where was all this coming from?

She wondered why he seemed so confident all of a sudden and the only explanation she could come up with, other then red kryptonite, was that by telling her his secret, he had essentially bared his soul to her. There was nothing left in him to hide. Maybe that was why he seemed so different, as if he could truly be himself around her now.

"Tomorrow." She replied, leaning in to place a kiss on his cheek.

Clark waited until she was safely inside and then sped back to the farm. He was still angry from the confrontation with that Mark guy, he was actually quite surprised at the depth of the hatred he had for that man. All he knew was that he'd hurt Lois and that was something he found hard to forgive.

For a few seconds he really felt like dishing out what that creep really deserved but the feel of Lois' hands on his back stopped him. With the exception of that creep showing up, tonight had gone even better then he'd hoped. He was surprised at how easy it had been to be in her company.

She was the same friend he'd known for almost five years and yet, there was also something different about her. And the best thing about it was that she didn't treat him any differently. She acted the same way around him as before and that meant a lot to him.

As much as he loved Chloe, once she had found out about him, she seemed to have taken on a role in making him seem much more important then he really was. But with Lois, everything was the same. She still argued with him, bantered and teased. All the things she did before. Only now she wasn't avoiding him. Now he had finally taken that step and asked her out.

He stopped as he reached his barn. Looking up at the sky he blew out a breath. Life was finally starting to feel good again. A giggling sound drew his attention towards the house. Curious, he walked to the door, pausing as he saw who was making the sound. Kara, his cousin, was sitting on the couch drinking coffee and laughing with none other then Oliver Queen and she was…giggling? That was weird. Kara didn't giggle.

"Hey guys." Clark said as he walked in. Kara looked up at him and her smile faded.

"Clark what are you doing back so soon? I thought you were out with Lois?" She said, her expression telling him that he was obviously interrupting something. He ignored it and sat down in the chair.

"I was but it's over now. We're going out again tomorrow. So Oliver what brings you by?" He said, giving Oliver a pointed look.

Oliver shifted in his seat and reached for some folders. He threw them to Clark, and smiled at Kara. Clark wasn't sure he liked this situation. Kara clearly had a crush on him and from the look on Oliver's face it was mutual.

"What's this?" Clark asked, scanning through them and seeing nothing he really understood.

"It's the data Chloe was able to get. She made a little headway but not much. She thinks those emails were definitely sent from Lex but hasn't been able to locate him because he's using a ghost router. Plus bouncing the signal from here to there so we can't trace it. He's covering his tracks a lot better this time."

"So what does that mean? You're giving up looking for him?" Clark asked, that wasn't something Oliver would do.

"No I'm not giving up Clark. But I can't spend all my time running around searching for him either. So I'm going to let him come to me. And knowing Lex, he will. Sooner or later." Clark sensed the foreboding in Oliver's tone.

He was right, Lex was still a threat to him if he was alive. He had been in bad shape after the fortress collapsed on them and the only thing that could've helped him was the suit that Lana stole. But Clark was sure that he had been killed in that van when it exploded. Why would he choose now to resurface? It didn't make any sense.

Clark looked up from the folders to see Oliver and Kara deep in conversation again and suddenly felt awkward at having interrupted their evening. It wasn't really his place to tell Kara what to do, she was an adult.

But he wanted to look out for her and he knew what Oliver was like. She may be invincible but her heart wasn't. And she wasn't as used to human emotions as he was. But she looked happy and so he decided that he would leave well enough alone for tonight.

"Well I'm gonna go to bed. Call me if you get anything else Oliver. Goodnight Kara."


	10. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine**_

Lois sipped her coffee slowly as she stood on her balcony looking out at the Metropolis skyline. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining strong, there were no clouds in the sky and in the streets below, people were busily rushing around in their daily routines.

Aside from the fact that neither she nor Clark had heard from Tess, Lois was actually feeling pretty good about her life at the moment. She conceded that it probably had more to do with Clark than anything else. He had been so different with her lately. As if he really were trying to prove his point that he'd moved on.

Their second date on Saturday had gone even better than the first one and after the movie they had gone to see had finished, Lois had invited him back to her apartment for a coffee. She still wasn't exactly sure why she'd done that. She wasn't the type of girl to invite a guy home on the second date. But it was Clark.

They both knew that nothing would happen that soon anyway. Although Lois could think of nothing more that she wanted and the memories of when he'd been on the red kryptonite only made it worse. But she realised that this was a big step for both of them and they needed to take their time and not mess it up.

It was a big adjustment to their relationship but she feared that she was too far gone to turn back now. And she knew in her heart that she couldn't go back to being just friends with him. He was too special to her.

They had spent the rest of the night just talking and occasionally kissing, and by the time Clark had left, it had been four in the morning. That was two days ago. Monday morning had never looked so bright to her before. She usually hated Mondays. But today, she was happy.

A knock at the door jolted her out of her thoughts and she went inside to answer it. After looking through the eyehole, she opened it with a huge grin. Clark smiled and leaned down to drop a quick hello kiss on her lips.

"Hi." He said softly after pulling back.

"Hi." She replied, feeling a little hot and stepped aside for him to enter. "Not that I'm complaining but uh…what are you doing here this early?" He scoffed and looked at his watch as she closed the door and walked over to the sofa, where he was now sitting..

"Lois it's almost noon. How is that early?"

She shrugged her shoulders and sat down next to him. "Well it's early for me."

"I suddenly get the feeling I know why you're always late for work." He chuckled.

"I am not _always_ late Smallville. Besides, I more than make up my time at the end of the day. After the amount of hours I've put in at that place they should owe me at least two extra months worth of vacation." She stopped to draw in a breath. "And anyway you didn't answer my question."

"Do I need to have a reason to come and see you now?" He said, pouting.

"No but I know you and I know that you usually go and talk to Chloe when you have something on your mind so…what gives?"

He watched her for a moment and then blew out a breath. "Lois, I don't always go straight to Chloe you know? I mean it, I really did want to come and see you…"

"But?"

He pursed his lips. "But I also needed to get out of the house. Kara is driving me nuts. She's discovered the musical wonders of the Backstreet Boys." He groaned, leaning his head back and closing his eyes as Lois laughed.

"Backstreet Boys huh? Well just think yourself lucky that she isn't blasting Whitesnake out."

"Believe me I would take that over this any day. She seems to have fallen in love with one song and just plays it over and over." They both took a moment to get the laughter out of their systems.

"Besides, I don't actually mind the odd Whitesnake song now and again." Clark admitted and Lois had to force herself not to read too much into that. He probably just likes them because you played them so much around him, she told herself.

"Wow. Looks like you're not quite the hopeless cause I thought Smallville."

"Gee thanks." He replied. "Anyway, I came to ask you if you wanted have lunch with me?" He shifted a little in his seat to look at her and she couldn't help but feel the frisson of desire work its way up her spine. He probably had no idea of the effect he had on her. Or if he did he kept it very well hidden.

"Lunch sounds great. Where'd you have in mind?" She said, trying to keep her voice from giving away how she was feeling at that moment.

"Well I thought maybe I could cook us something at my place and we could…" He paused and watched her face closely as if waiting for her to laugh as he said. "Have a picnic?"

"A picnic?" She repeated. He nodded, looking a little unsure of himself now.

"Yeah, it's different and it's a beautiful day. I thought we could go to Crater Lake, have a swim. It'll be fairly quiet because it's a school day so the kids won't be there. So what do you think?"

"I think it's a great idea Smallville. Will anyone else be joining us?"

"Nope, Chloe's at work, and Kara…well Kara has a…date." He said with a sullen expression.

"A date? With who?" Lois wondered why Kara having a date should bother Clark so much, but it clearly was bothering him, judging from the look on his face.

"Oliver." He said in a low voice.

"In the middle of the afternoon?" That wasn't Oliver's style, she thought. Unless it was in another country courtesy of his private jet.

"They're having coffee at the Talon." He said the word coffee like it was code for something else and Lois could guess what.

"I take it you're not a fan of the idea of Kara and Oliver then?" Clark turned his head the other way to avoid her eyes.

"You know what Oliver's like Lois. I don't want Kara to get hurt. She's not prepared for this kind of thing."

"From what I know of your family Clark, they can pretty much handle anything that's thrown at them, literally. But I also know that Oliver can be very sweet and caring and Kara could do a lot worse. I know you wanna be the big protective cousin here but just give her space Clark. She needs to learn from her own mistakes. Besides, Kara wants to be able to fit in around here and even if she isn't staying for very long, she deserves a chance to be a normal girl at least once." Lois smiled reassuringly placing her hand over his.

His thumb stroked over the back of her hand, sending a shiver up her bare arm and suddenly the room felt very small. He smelled so good, his aftershave was playing havoc with her senses and if she wasn't careful, she would end up doing something that neither of them was ready for.

"I just…well I remember seeing how hurt you were when you broke up with him. I don't want Kara to have to go through that." He replied.  
Her mind scrabbled for an answer as she stared at his eyes. The were the deepest blue she had ever seen. Realising she'd been staring for too long, she quickly averted her gaze and cleared her throat.

"She'll be fine Clark. Besides, it's not like she can't understand what he's about. She has her own secret too. Us girl's are tougher than you think." She stood up, effectively ending that conversation as she said. "Come on, let's get going. I'm starting to get hungry."

She held out her hands to help him up and he took them gently. But as she pulled him up, his foot caught under the corner of the rug in front of the sofa and he had to grab onto her to stop himself from falling forward and taking her with him. Their eyes locked onto each other's and for a moment, she could hear her heart thudding in her chest so loudly.

Noses touching, he gently leaned his head down a little further and their lips met in a soft but firm kiss and Lois felt her body melt. His kiss both enticed and seduced, drawing a response from her that sent her head spinning. Realising that this was fast turning into a situation where she wasn't sure she would be able to control her urges any longer, she slowly pulled back and leaned her forehead against his. He let out a gentle sigh as he opened his eyes.

"We should get going." She muttered but made no effort to untangle herself from his arms. He nodded, kissed her forehead then released her and she quickly disappeared into her bedroom to gather up her things, taking a moment to cool herself down before she faced him again.

* * *

Kara observed the patrons milling around the Talon as Oliver went back to the counter for another order. In truth she didn't really know what had made her accept Oliver's invitation, after their first meeting the other night, she had done some research on him and none of it painted him in a good light but she was glad that she had decided to give herself a chance to see what he was really like.

He was smart, charming and unbelievably sexy. She was having a lot of fun simply sitting here with him. Getting to know him was, she found, easier than she'd thought. All she'd known of him before was whatever Clark had divulged and that hadn't been very much. She knew he was the Green Arrow and he knew her secret due to the fact that she was Clark's cousin so they were at least on a level playing field and she felt better knowing that she wouldn't have to hide anything from him.

As he returned to their table with their third cup of cappuccino's, she was both scared and excited by her attraction towards him. It was an unusual feeling but not an unwelcome one. She just wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to be feeling. She wasn't sure what was right in these circumstances.

She'd only ever had one boyfriend on Krypton before she had been sent away to earth and that hadn't ended well. Her father had seen to that, she reflected bitterly. Her father had seen to a lot of things. But she refused to let her thoughts travel down that road and so, she turned her attention back to Oliver.

"You okay?" He asked. "You looked like you were a million miles away."

"Sorry I was just thinking."

"Oh? About what?" He took a sip of his coffee and watched her over the rim. His steely gaze making her feel exposed and vulnerable. A feeling she wasn't sure that she liked.

"Nothing really, just family stuff." He nodded, seeming to understand.

"I take it Clark hasn't been very approving of you seeing me."

"I don't need Clark's permission to date someone Oliver." She said, a little annoyed. "In actual fact I'm older than him. He just likes to forget that fact." She saw Oliver's brow furrow and knew that he obviously didn't know the details surrounding her arrival here.

"So how old are you?" He asked, clearly confused and she couldn't blame him.

Her life was like something out of a comic book. The powers that she and Clark possessed would make it easy to intimidate anyone. She just hoped that Oliver wouldn't care about the fact that she was much stronger then he could ever hope to be. She knew enough to know that some men didn't like strong, independent women but with her, the term strong took on a whole new level.

She stopped that train of thought. She was getting too far ahead of herself here. He had only asked her out for coffee after all. He would probably decide that she was nothing special and move on to someone else in the blink of an eye. She wanted to be wrong in thinking that but she would be naïve if she didn't.

And besides, she would soon be resuming her search for Kandor. Wouldn't she? She didn't know anymore, all she knew was the feelings Oliver was stirring within her made her feel good.

"By this planet's timing, I'm about twenty years old. I was eighteen when I left Krypton." She whispered, not wanting to be overheard. "But my ship crashed into a reservoir when I landed and I was buried under the dam for eighteen years. The fight that Clark had with that other being last year finally brought me to the surface. I was originally sent here to take care of Clark as a young infant."

Oliver was silent for a long time and she feared that she had said too much, her mouth always ran away with her when she got going and she hoped that she hadn't said something to scare him off. But her fear was alleviated when he smiled and said. "Well I guess that's gotta be pretty weird for you huh?"

She was so relieved, she let out a short burst of laughter. "That's an understatement."

"So where did you go after you got out of that place that Clark and Lois were sent to? Clark never told me about that."

She wondered how much Clark had told him about her. Judging from what he'd told her about Oliver, it couldn't' have been that much.

"I uh…" She paused, wondering how much she should confide in him. She didn't know if she could trust him yet. But then again, if Clark could, why couldn't she? He wasn't a bad person, he just had a bad reputation but he'd known Clark's secret all these years and they were still friends so he couldn't be all that bad.

"I heard rumours of a part of my planet that might still be out there somewhere. I went looking for it."

"I thought it was destroyed."

"It was but they think that a part of it broke off and just drifted away. Preserved, kind of like its in a vacuum. I was hoping that I might be able to find it, to find a part of my civilisation that had survived." She frowned, the memories of her life on Krypton seeping into her mind unbidden.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I don't want to upset you Kara. I know talking about that must be pretty painful." He said, his face solemn as he stared down at his cup.

"You sound like you're talking from experience." She said softly and he nodded, his eyes coming up to rest on her face.

"My parents died in a plane crash when I was young."

"Oh I'm sorry." She said, and before she knew what she was doing, her hand was resting on his over the table. He looked down at them and smiled and as she started to pull away, he turned his hand and held onto hers.

"It's okay. I came to terms with it a long time ago." He said. Then just like that the look was replaced with a bright smile that showed his perfect white teeth and made his eyes sparkle. "So tell me more about Krypton."

* * *

Clark shook the water out of his hair as he ran after Lois to their towels. The lake was pretty much deserted this time of the afternoon and for that he was grateful. He enjoyed spending time alone with Lois though seeing her in her bikini was making him think things he shouldn't.

What was the matter with him? He'd seen her in a bikini before and even though at the time he'd acknowledged that she had a great body, he hadn't had this kind of reaction. Admittedly he'd been with Lana at the time but still, he'd noticed. His skin felt as if it were humming whenever she was close and as he sat down on the towel, Lois' arm brushed against his and it sent a wave of heat up to his neck.

"You okay?" She asked, and he realised she must've caught his little shiver.

"I'm great. Have you had enough to eat?" He asked, glancing at the basket next to them. They'd had their lunch earlier and though there wasn't much left in there, he went through it again as an excuse to try and get his head in order. Something he wasn't able to do whilst looking at her.

"Yeah I don't think I could eat anything else. I'm stuffed." She said patting her stomach as she laid back on the towel.

Her actions caused his eyes to drift to the place where her hands were and he had a sudden urge to replace them with his own. Mentally ridding himself of those kinds of thoughts, he laid on his back next to her, looking up at the sky. His mind was drastically thinking of something for him to say but no words came. Fortunately she spoke first.

"So Smallville are you gonna kiss me or what?" She asked, his head shot sideways to look at her in shock and he saw she was looking at him with a mixture of desire and laughter.

She was teasing him, he knew that. But still he couldn't stop himself from blushing. She chuckled then raised herself up onto one elbow turning on her side to face him. He did the same and the two found themselves close. Their faces only inches apart.

Her mood seemed to sober at that point and as she began to nervously bite her bottom lip, he felt a sudden tightening in his groin. Suddenly she didn't seem so sure of herself and he took a little satisfaction in the fact that she could be rankled as well as he could.

His hand took on a mind of its own as he ran it up the smooth skin of her arm and came to a stop at her neck. Then with a newfound confidence he hadn't known he possessed, he pulled her closer and their mouths collided. Her lips were already parted, inviting the hungry invasion of his tongue. He didn't disappoint her.

His hand moved to cup her cheek, angling her face towards him as his mouth fastened greedily over hers. She flung an arm around him, her palm spreading against the damp curve of his spine. His hand drifted back down to cup her butt and he pulled her closer to him.

She tasted so good, her mouth was sweet, her skin salty from the water. A sexy little moan emerged from lips that were already wet and swollen from his kisses and his conscience resurfaced. If he didn't stop this soon, he would go all the way. He was in real danger of acting out the images that had been taunting him all afternoon and while he couldn't deny he wanted her, this just wasn't the place to do it.

Softly, he pulled away and it took both of them quite a bit of time to recover. Both were breathing heavily and Lois' face held an alluring glow. He looked away, if he didn't he would be tempted to start again and if that happened he wasn't sure he'd be able to stop.

"Lo…" He whispered, leaning his forehead against hers again and looking deeply into her hazel eyes.

"Mmm?" She moaned, happiness swimming in her gaze.

"I…" He started but then stopped. He really wasn't sure what he was supposed to say or do now.

His eyes gently swept the rest of her body as she pulled away and he noticed the rosy glow on her shoulders. They looked sore and he realised that he'd had her out in the sun all afternoon. He was immune from the effects of sunburn but he silently cursed himself for having forgotten that she wasn't. The sun cream he'd put on her earlier was apparently not that good. But then again, it was an old bottle. Perhaps it was out of date or something.

"I think maybe we should get going. I don't want you to get burnt." She looked down at her shoulders and shrugged.

"I'm fine. But you're right, we probably should be heading back…" She said, trailing off and both of them knew what she had been about to say. _Before we get carried away again._

He stood up as she started putting her t-shirt back on and disposed of their garbage in a nearby bin. When he walked back he was surprised to see her almost fully dressed. Was she eager to get out of there? He hoped he hadn't done anything to push her away. But his mind refused to believe that, she had been as eager in that kiss as he had.

However as he picked up the basket and started walking, his fear faded into the background when she took his hand, intertwining their fingers, and walked with him. When he was sure that no one was around, he lifted her gently into his arms and sped back to the farm. He didn't want the afternoon to end just yet.


	11. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten**_

Lois sat on the sofa in Clark's loft, tapping her feet restlessly against the table in front of her. Clark had gone inside to get them both a drink and she was grateful because it gave her some much needed space to do some serious thinking. What happened at the lake had unnerved both of them. She could tell that Clark was feeling a little anxious about it. She knew because she was too.

True they had both gotten carried away and lost themselves in the moment. But she had to be honest and admit that she hadn't wanted that moment to end. But it was too soon. She needed to keep reminding herself of that. He wasn't ready for a relationship like that yet. She was sure of it. But everything he had said and done in the last week was playing through her head, making her wonder if she could be wrong. She didn't have too long to ponder that thought before she heard Clark's heavy footsteps coming up the stairs.

"There you go." He said as handed her an ice cold glass of soda.

"Thanks." She replied, putting the glass down in front of her.

"I thought you were thirsty." He sat down next to her, taking a sip of his own.

"I am…was…" She closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

"Is something wrong? Are your shoulders sore? I can get you some…" He stood up to leave but she grabbed his hand and pulled him back down again.

"No, no it's not that. I'm fine." She replied, noting that he had now taken her hand in his and was holding onto it.

"Then what is it?" He asked softly, his eyes penetrating hers.

"What happened Clark?" She whispered and when it was clear he had no idea what she meant, she carried on. "I mean what happened between us at the lake? I mean I know _what_ happened but I just want to know where we stand. I don't mean to put any pressure on you or anything but I'm so confused…"

"Lois…"

"And I don't want you to think that I always kiss guys like that on the third date…"

"Lois…"

"And I suppose I just need to know that you feel the same way I do…"

"LOIS!"

"What?" She said, a little louder than she meant to. His brows raised up as a smile lit up his face.

"You're rambling." He replied, smoothing his thumb over the back of her hand in a soothing gesture, but it only made the desire burn stronger within her.

"Right. Sorry, I just…" Her quiet voice trailed off. She didn't know what to say. With his free hand he gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek.

"Lois I would never do anything to hurt you." He started, staring deep into her eyes.

"I know that Smallville."

He looked around the loft, as if trying to decide what to say. After a few moments he drew in a deep breath and said. "I want to be with you Lois. Not just friends or best friends because I don't think that's enough for me anymore. I've never felt as close to anyone as I have with you in this last week. I think I'm…" He scooted a little closer to her and cupped her face with both hands. "I want all of you Lois I…I think I'm falling in love with you."

Lois felt her heart skip a beat as her head moved closer to his. Was she hearing him right? She hoped so, but she feared that she was only hearing what she wanted to hear. But as his lips closed over hers, all sense and logic abandoned her and she let herself get lost in his touch. His kiss was soft, tender, the amount of emotion in it was enough to make her feel cherished, even loved.

"Clark…are you sure?" She asked when she pulled back. His hands were still on her face, his thumbs gently caressing her cheeks.

"I've never been more sure of anything Lois. I know that things have been a little strained between us since, well since Chloe's wedding, but I have had a chance to evaluate the things that are important to me and you are on the top of that list. For the first time in my life I know what I truly want and I want us to be together."

For a long moment Lois didn't respond. She knew that what Clark was saying was the truth. The hopeful expression on his face told her more than any words could. Looking into his gorgeous blue-green eyes, she suddenly felt a little stupid.

She loved this man. Why was she constantly trying to throw things in their path? She wanted to be sure that she was the one he wanted and not just a substitute for someone else, but when it came down to it, she was only hurting herself by stalling. Right now she was faced with two choices. Agree to be with him and be a part of his life, or spend the rest of her life wondering what could've been if she'd only been brave enough to take the risk.

Instead of answering him, Lois got up and walked over to the other side of the room. She noted the worried look on his face as he did the same. He reached out to take her hand in his and she felt the heat from his fingers envelop her arm and spread unchecked into her shoulder. She licked her dry lips, hardly aware of what she was doing.

With a twist of his wrist he pulled her gently towards him, taking her wrist behind his back. Then he bent his head and covered her lips with his. His kiss was electric. As soon as their mouths fused, a devastating weakness almost buckled her knees beneath her. A frisson of alarm slid down her spine, a warning that she had no defences where he was concerned.

But then his tongue slid between her teeth and she couldn't bear to pull away. His mouth hardened, grew more demanding, and he released her wrist to place possessive hands on her hips. With a little moan of submission, Lois lifted her arms and linked them behind his neck.

His response was to urge her closer, their bodies melding together from chest to hip. His hands burned on her thighs as he cupped her butt and lifted her against him, she wound one leg around his calf as he ground his hips into hers.

The effect of that was incredible. Tiny synapses of energy fused her nerves, ran unchecked under her skin. Their breathing became hot and heavy as his teeth fastened on the tender curve of her neck.

"I want you…" He breathed harshly and for a second she had to wonder if there was any red kryptonite around. He was acting so…bold. But as he lifted his head she could see the raw emotion in his eyes. It was definitely Clark. But she had never seen this side of him before.

Without even realising she was doing it, she nodded her head and his eyes seemed to darken.

"Lois…" He murmured, one hand curving over her cheek before slipping down her side and resting just below her left breast. Her skin tingled in anticipation of what was to come. His eyes stayed glued to hers as his hand found the hem of her t-shirt and slid beneath it with unexpected ease. She quivered as his hand caressed the bare flesh of her stomach.

"I have wanted you for so long…" He said quietly, his words reverberating in her head, making her think of the time they had gotten so close to doing exactly this in her apartment.

_Me too_, Lois thought fervently, though she didn't have the courage to say it. Instead she stepped back from him and took his hand, leading him over to the sofa. He sat down and pulled her into his lap. For a moment, they simply sat there, staring into each other's eyes. He was beginning to look nervous, she thought, and she found it incredibly adorable.

She cupped his face with both hands and drew him in for a kiss before his conscience had a chance to resurface. She never wanted this moment to end and he must have sensed it from her kiss because he broke away from her mouth and then suddenly, lifted her t-shirt over her head. It was hard not to feel some embarrassment as he stared at her.

Nevertheless, she felt a quiver deep in her belly when he lifted his shaking hands and cupped her breasts. And when he bent his head and buried his face in her cleavage, she clutched the back of his neck and hung on for dear life. When he lifted his head again, her face was flushed, damp strands of hair clinging to her neck and cheeks. Realising that he was wearing far too many clothes, she tugged at the hem of his shirt and he helped her pull it off.

Her chest brushed against the taut muscles of his, her bra the last barrier between them. His hands slowed as he reached for the clasp and she could see the tell tale warning sign in his eyes that he was about to pull back. She also noticed that his whole body was trembling, he was as scared as she was.

"Clark…I want you." She whispered close to his ear.

That seemed to be his undoing. With a low growl, he snapped the clasp open, revealing all of her to his gaze. He lifted her off his lap and lay her down on the sofa, pausing briefly to ask. "Lois are you sure?" She nodded. But he still looked worried.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I'm a little nervous." He said sheepishly.

"Why?" She was getting a little frustrated, her desire was building to a terrifying level and she needed him.

"I don't want to you hurt you."

"What are you talk…" And then it hit her. His powers. He was unsure if he could do this. But Lois had no doubt in her mind that he wouldn't and couldn't hurt her.

"Clark, I trust you." She paused and then after a moment she said softly. "I love you."

As soon as the words had left her mouth, Lois felt two strong arms encircle her waist, and then after a short gust of wind had knocked the breath out of her, she found herself lying on Clark's bed and he was looking down at her with a hunger that was undeniable.

As he removed the last of their clothes, Lois realised that he hadn't actually said he loved her. Only that he thought he was falling in love. But then his lips found hers again and she was too far gone to care. For now, right here, she was where she wanted and needed to be. She would deal with the consequences later. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and lost herself in the ecstasy of the moment.

As the late afternoon rays of sunlight filtered in through the curtains of his window, Clark lay on his side with a sleeping Lois curved against him. He watched her as she slept, she was beautiful. His fears of not knowing what would happen during the heat of the moment had not come to pass. He had no doubt that it was because of Lois.

She trusted him, she knew that he would not hurt her and even though he had been scared of doing just that, she had pushed through that barrier and he had shared with her, the most breath taking experience of his life. He had honestly never felt anything like it in his life, not even with Lana. It had been an emotional joining as well as physical.

She stirred a little, moaning softly in her slumber and his arm tightened around her waist, drawing her in closer to him. Her bare back against his chest felt so good. He didn't want to let her go.

Once again he was astounded at how he had never recognised these feelings that he had for her. They were so strong now it was as if they had always been there. He realised that they probably had been but he had been too blind to see it. He was grateful that he now saw with crystal clarity that she was the one he wanted to be with.

It was a strange feeling, all the things that annoyed him about her in the past became the things that he loved about her. She made him laugh, her daily bantering with him made him feel normal, a part of this world that he cared so much about, she urged him to be more than he thought he could be. And he truly wanted to be the man that she saw in him.

He felt his eyes start to droop as the exhaustion of making love three times slowly overtook him. He lay his head down on his pillow, close to Lois' head and breathed in the scent of her shampoo.

"I love you Lois." He whispered in her ear, even though he knew she couldn't hear him, as he placed a loving kiss on her temple and drifted off to sleep. He didn't see Lois' lips curve into a blissful smile as she opened her eyes.

"I love you too Clark."

* * *

The sound of laughter emanating from downstairs woke them two hours later. Clark sat up in bed letting his mind catch up to where he was. Then a warm shape moved against him and he looked down to see Lois grinning up at him. He leaned back on one shoulder and kissed her.

"Hey," She said as he pulled back.

"Hey," He replied. "Sounds like Kara and Oliver are back." He whispered distractedly. Having her lying next to him completely naked was hindering his ability to think clearly.

"Maybe we should go down and say hello?" She asked, nuzzling his neck. His eyes slowly closed as she worked her magic and he was unable to reply. Suddenly she stopped and looked up at him with a smirk.

"That's not fair." He said, grabbing her and pulling closer. He felt her giggle against his chest.

"Come on Smallville, up." She pushed him back a little and got out of bed as he sat up.

His eyes followed her every movement as she went about gathering her clothes. She slipped on one of his plaid shirts and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. Clark sighed, he could've stayed like this forever. But he had to get up. Kara would think it weird that he hadn't done the rest of his chores yet.

Lois appeared five minutes later and he took his turn to go and wash up. When he was done, he dressed in his usual blue t-shirt and jeans and then returned to the bedroom. Lois was just finishing combing through her hair. He couldn't stop himself, he reached out and tangled his fingers in the silky strands. She smiled and leaned back against his chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"So when are you going to send that article in to Tess?" He asked.

"Soon, I just want to make sure that I have everything right. I want it to do you justice."

"I'm sure it will, you have a way with words that no one else has Lois." He grinned.

"Is that your way of saying I talk too much?" Turning in his arms she fixed him with a mocking glare.

"As if I would." He replied, chuckling as he raised his hands.

"You ready to face them?" He nodded, smiled and led her downstairs.

He was a little apprehensive about Kara and Oliver seeing them, they would know what had been going on, especially since Lois was wearing his shirt. He realised too late, that both of their shirts had been left in the loft. It wasn't that he wanted to hide it, but he didn't want it being analysed either. Fortunately, Kara and Oliver were now sitting outside on the porch.

"Kara, when did you get home?" Clark asked as he and Lois exited the house.

"Uh just now…" She frowned at them, and Clark saw an annoyingly knowing smile appear on Oliver's lips as he looked at Lois' attire. He felt Lois nudge him in the ribs.

"Be nice Smallville," Lois murmured just low enough for only him to hear. She forgot that Kara could also hear her, and she smiled appreciatively at her for saying it.

"Hey Lois, what are you doing here? I thought you two were on a date?" Kara said happily.

"Looks like we weren't the only ones." Lois chuckled, once again nudging Clark to get him to join the conversation.

"Did you guys have a nice time?" Clark asked, standing tall, almost as if he were trying to intimidate Oliver. Lois rolled her eyes. Was that the best he could do?

"We did thanks." Oliver replied, smiling down at Kara. "But I should really get going. I have some things to take care of and I have to get back to Metropolis. So I'll pick you up on Friday?" Kara smiled brightly and nodded.

"I should really get back home as well Clark. I want to work on that story." She said with a wink, "Oliver, can I hitch a ride with you?" Lois said, but Clark's hand tightened possessively over hers.

"I can take you Lois. It won't take long." He said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Oliver and Kara watched them with puzzled faces. Lois put her hand on his chest and kissed his cheek.

"Smallville, I don't want you using your powers just to take me home." She smiled but he didn't return it. What was going on with him? She thought that he and Oliver were friends but maybe there was something deeper going on here. After a moment, he reluctantly nodded and let her go. But not without planting a searing kiss on her lips.

"I'll call you later." He said and she nodded, with another wink, and started walking away with Oliver. He watched them until he couldn't see the car anymore then turned to see Kara looking at him, annoyance flashing in her eyes.

"What is wrong with you Clark?" She shouted as she stormed off into the house, with Clark quickly following.

"I don't know what you mean." He replied nonchalantly.

"You were acting like you're my father. What is your problem? I thought you and Oliver were friends." She walked into the kitchen, whirling round to face him as he entered a second later.

"Look Kara I'm sorry. But I just don't want to see you get hurt and I know Oliver he's…"

"Yeah I know but I like him Clark. I mean I really like him and he gets me. I won't let him hurt me but can you please just accept that I don't need your approval?"

Clark felt a momentary pang of hurt at her words but he knew that she was right. He was behaving like an ass. Who was he to tell her who she could and couldn't date? His own track record didn't exactly make him an expert in the relationship area.

"Okay, I'm sorry Kara. I was just looking out for you that's all. But I promise as of now, I'm officially backing off." He saw the relief in her eyes as she smiled.

"Thank you. Now, how did your afternoon go?" She smirked, and Clark shifted uncomfortably in his stance.

* * *

Lois breezed in to the Isis foundation early the next morning with a happy grin on her face as she placed Chloe's take out coffee on the table in front of her.

"Hey Lois, what are you doing here?" Chloe said, frowning down at some paperwork as Lois pulled up a chair.

"What, I need a reason to see my favourite cousin now?" Lois asked as she dove into the box of donuts she had also brought. She offered one to Chloe, who politely refused and then closed the box.

"No but I thought you would be out with Clark." Chloe replied, still not looking up at her.

"Smallville can wait." Lois shrugged. Chloe glanced up at her briefly before looking down again.

"Well someone got up on the right side of the bed today." Lois paused mid-chew, as she looked at her cousin. Something was wrong.

"Looks like I'm the only one. What is it?" Lois quickly dumped the remains of her donut back in the box and leaned her elbows on the table, giving Chloe her undivided attention.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, her eyes now guarded, revealing nothing.

Lois knew that Chloe had been having a hard time lately. Even though she and Jimmy had been talking, they were still no closer to working out a solution and Lois honestly didn't think that they would be able to. Lois had seen Jimmy a few days ago and from the looks of things, he didn't appear to be trying very hard to fix his marriage. And Lois felt bad for thinking that she couldn't exactly blame him for his attitude.

Chloe had cheated on him after all. But she knew that Chloe regretted every second of it, it had been a stupid mistake, a one night stand in a moment of weakness. But that didn't excuse it and Lois knew that Jimmy would never fully be able to trust her again. Without that, there could be no marriage.

"I know you Chloe and I know that something is wrong. What is it?" Chloe looked down at the table again, as if trying to decide whether or not to tell her. After a moment, Chloe slid a piece of paper across the table and Lois picked it up.

"Oh sweetie." Lois said and immediately swept her up in a sympathetic hug. But Chloe made no attempt to return the hug. She just stood there, stiff and immobile as Lois tried to console her. Lois hated seeing her like this, she wished that there were something she could do to make it better. But right now all she could do was be there for her.

"I thought we were fine Lois. I thought we were getting somewhere. Things seemed to be getting back to normal, then I wake up and find that he's started divorce proceedings." She whispered, her voice a little hoarse from unshed tears. Gently she moved away from Lois and walked over to the window.

"Did he tell you he was going to do this?" Lois asked, looking down at the letter from Jimmy's lawyer.

With her back still turned to Lois, Chloe shook her head. "No."

Lois felt a flash of annoyance flare up. She knew that Jimmy was still hurting but she thought he would've at least had the decency to tell Chloe, face to face, that he was filing for divorce. Especially after letting her believe that things were getting better between them.

"Maybe you can talk to him." Lois said, not really sure what else she could do to help. From her body language, Lois could tell that Chloe didn't want her anywhere near her. She needed her space.

"It's too late for that Lois. He can't trust me anymore, it's over." She spoke in a low tone, so low that Lois had to strain to hear her.

"There's still time, you can still work this out…"

"No Lois. He's made his decision and it's final. As much as I wish I could turn back time and take back everything I did, I can't. I'm the one who has to live with the consequences of my actions."

"You don't mean that Chloe. You love him."

"Yeah but how many times am I going to keep hurting him?" Lois sighed, she knew that their problems had started way before any of this. Jimmy had always felt that Chloe was taking Clark's side over his and Lois now understood why. Keeping Clark's secret from her boyfriend and then husband had to have been hard on her and on him.

"If you don't give it another chance Chloe you'll end up regretting it. I know believe me. But for what it's worth, I'm glad that I've finally taken that chance and Clark and I are together…" Chloe spun around and glared at Lois.

"What would you know Lois? Every single relationship you've ever had in the past has ended badly. Look I get it okay? You have the perfect life now. What do I have? A failed marriage, running a business that isn't mine, playing watchtower for Oliver and the guys is the only real thing I have left in my life." Lois tried to ignore the hurt that Chloe's words had inflicted, instead she concentrated on the meaning behind them.

"Chloe, I thought you said that you were happy with your life, after everything that happened with Zatanna." She frowned, confused as to where all this was coming from.

"I am…" She turned back to the window. "I just need to let him go and focus on me. I need to take some time for me." She said more to herself than to Lois. Lois took a step closer to her, not wanting to crowd her but she needed to do something for her.

"Chloe…"

"Look I'm fine Lois. I don't need you to hold my hand, I got myself into this mess and I can get myself out. Why don't you just…go back to Clark?" She said the last part with such emphasis that Lois couldn't miss it.

"Is that what this is about? Me and Clark?" Lois frowned, why would Chloe have a problem with her seeing Clark when she had been the one who had been all for it from the start?

Chloe snorted. "The world does not revolve around Lois Lane you know." She said bitterly. Lois could feel the sting of tears in her eyes, this wasn't Chloe. She would never say such hurtful things. Not to her.

"Okay look, I don't know what's going on with you Chloe but I know that you are upset right now so I'm going to go. But if you do need to talk, you always know where I am. Okay?" Lois waited for a moment but when it became clear that Chloe wasn't going to even look at her, she picked up her purse and left, a lone tear falling down her cheek as she closed the door behind her.

Chloe closed her eyes and pressed against the lids to stop the tears from forming. She felt like such a b***h. Lois hadn't deserved any of that. But the second she had started talking about how happy she was now that she and Clark had gotten together, Chloe just snapped. She knew the underlying reason for her outburst. But she wasn't willing to delve too deeply into it.

As soon as she admitted it, it would make her seem petty and selfish. But the truth was, Clark was happy with Lois. She knew that and she also knew that having someone to share his life and secret with was all he'd ever wanted. Lois was that person. Chloe was genuinely pleased that they were happy together and she'd always known that they would make a great couple.

In truth, she couldn't think of two people better suited to each other. But she couldn't help but feel as if she were being replaced in a way. Clark always came to her with any problems, human or Kryptonian. But he had Lois for that now. How much would he really need Chloe now? She hadn't even heard from him at all in the last two days.  
Again she shoved these thoughts to the back of her mind.

She told herself it was just because she was feeling down about Jimmy and her attempts to track Lex were hitting a dead end. But part of her couldn't help but feel that now Clark had Lois, Chloe was truly going to be alone. It was a stupid thought, Clark did care about her, but it was there nonetheless.

Letting out a huge sigh Chloe grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. She needed to apologise to Lois. She didn't want to leave things like this. As she started walking down the street she paused. Her mouth fell open as if she'd seen a ghost. The woman walking towards her noticed her look of shock and frowned at her.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" She asked, worry marking her pretty features.

"Oh my God…" Chloe stuttered, she was deeply confused and concerned as to why this woman didn't seem to know who she was.

"Lana, it's me Chloe."

* * *

Lois closed the lid of her laptop after emailing Tess her article on the red-blue-blur. Even though she had completed most of it yesterday, it had taken a couple of hours to go through it again because she had been so distracted with thoughts of Chloe, but eventually she had finished it and was pretty happy with the result. She only hoped that it was enough to keep Tess from firing her and Clark.

She got up and walked out onto her balcony, breathing in the fresh air and turning her head from side to side to ease the kinks out of her neck. She couldn't get Chloe's words out of her head. What was her problem? Lois couldn't think of any answers but it was strange for Chloe have acted the way she did.

A knock at her door broke Lois' train of thought, for which she was grateful. She had been mulling over this for over an hour and wasn't any closer to figuring it out. She opened the door and was greeted by a dark green uniform. A military uniform. But she didn't recognise the man in it.

"Miss Lois Lane?" He asked, sternly.

"Yes? And you would be?" She asked, mimicking his tone, trying to ignore the spark of fear his presence invoked.

"I'm Sergeant Derek Thompson of the United States Army, may I come in?" He asked, his tone a little softer now and Lois felt the fear deepen in her gut. She knew there was only one reason she would be getting a visit like this. She didn't even know this man, she guessed that he had to be stationed in or around Metropolis.

"Is it my father?" She asked, stepping aside to let him in.

He took off his hat and looked at her with sympathy in his eyes and Lois felt as if someone had reached into her chest and squeezed her heart. This couldn't be happening.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news Miss Lane.


	12. Chapter 11

**_Chapter Eleven_**

Chloe guided Lana into the Isis foundation and sat her down on the sofa. Lana was watching her warily, and Chloe could see that she had absolutely no idea who she was. There wasn't an ounce of recognition in her eyes. Chloe smiled a little, pleased at least to see her friend.

She looked a lot different to the last time she saw her. Her brown hair had grown to well past her shoulders and was straight now and she was wearing clothes that Lana didn't normally wear. She wore a black halter neck top with a black jacket and jeans, black boots and a black headband in her hair. Everything she had on was black and Chloe wondered if there wasn't some kind of message behind that.

"Lana, it's me Chloe Sullivan? Come on you have to remember me. We were friends. Best friends."

Once she had gotten over the shock of seeing Lana again, Chloe became worried, really worried. Obviously something had happened to Lana despite the fact that when she had left Smallville she had powers. What on earth could've happened to her?

"I'm sorry, I don't remember anything about you Chloe." She said, her eyes taking in her surroundings, curiously but cautiously. Chloe noticed this and decided to try a different route.

"Well what about this place? Its yours Lana. You own the Isis Foundation. It was created by you to help others. Does anything ring a bell?" Lana looked around the purple/pink décor of the room.

"I own this?" She asked, getting up and walked around.

"Yeah."

"I don't remember it." Chloe saw the frustration in her eyes and felt her own too.

"Okay let's just take a step back and find out what you do know. How did you end up in Metropolis?"

"I'm looking for someone. About a month ago, I was told that I'd been in an accident and when I woke up most of my memory was gone." Lana sat down again and went into a lengthy description of her stay in the hospital, of the nice doctors who'd taken care of her and then Chloe heard what she'd secretly been dreading.

"You say we're friends?" Chloe nodded. "Then you must know Clark Kent."

"Clark? Wait, you remember Clark?"

"Yes, he's the only thing I do remember. I can't remember even being taken from him, but I know that I must have. I was only told that I had been in an accident but I can't actually remember it. I need you to help me Chloe. I'm sure he'll be going crazy not knowing where I am." Lana said, looking more worried now and Chloe heard alarm bells going off in her head.

This couldn't lead to anything good. Especially now that Lois was in the picture.

_Oh crap_, she thought_. I'm going to have to call him and warn him that she's back_.

This was seriously going to throw Clark for a loop. Chloe knew that he wasn't ever expecting to see her again. And definitely not like this.

"Lana, what _exactly_ do you remember about Clark? I need you to be completely honest with me and tell me everything." Chloe said, her protective instincts kicking in not only for Clark, but also for her cousin. She had already been hurt once, she didn't think that Lois, as strong as she was, would be able to go through it again.

"Well let's see, I remember him telling me about his…" She looked up at Chloe with wide eyes.

"It's okay Lana, I already know about Clark and his…uniqueness shall we say?"

"Oh…good, I thought I might've let the cat out of the bag for a moment there. I remember that, and I remember that we were…are very much in love. I honestly can't remember much else. Just that I need to get back to him. He's the only one who can help me Chloe. I need him to help me get my memory back."

"How is Clark supposed to help with that?" Chloe asked, confused.

"Because I don't think that my memory was lost Chloe." Lana said, fixing Chloe with a serious stare. "I think it was stolen from me."

"Why would anyone want to steal your memories Lana?" Chloe asked, she could quite believe that such a thing were possible but the reason for it eluded her.

"Maybe I knew something. Something that they wanted to know very badly. I don't know. This is why I need Clark to help me. Well that…and I miss him." Chloe didn't know what to say to that. Lana had a forlorn look on her face, and she couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"But that still doesn't explain how you ended up back here."

"I was brought here by one of my doctors, he said that this was where I used to live. Is that true?"

"Sort of. You actually lived in Smallville, which is not that far from here. Okay, here's what we're going to do. I will take you to Clark. But when we get there I'm going to need a few minutes alone with him to explain all of this. Things aren't exactly as you remember them Lana."

"What does that mean?"

"Just that a lot's happened since you've been gone. And a lot happened which led to you leaving. All of this is going to be hard for Clark to take in. So I want to prepare him before he sees you. Can you just agree to wait in the car until I come get you?"

Lana clearly didn't like the idea that had been presented but Chloe's words had given her something to think about. Eventually she looked back to Chloe and nodded.

"Okay, but promise me that you'll tell me what's changed on the way there?" She asked, grabbing Chloe's hand. Chloe squirmed in her seat. Just how much was she supposed to reveal?

"Sure, okay Lana. Come on, let's go." Chloe grabbed her jacket and purse and led Lana out into the street where her car was parked.

* * *

Clark was busy laying out the morning feed for the cows in the back field, letting his mind relive the events of yesterday, when he heard Kara run up behind him.

"Ah, come to help?" He asked, she threw him a smile and shook her head.

"Don't be stupid Clark. I just came to tell you, you have a visitor. She's in the house." Kara said and started walking back.

His grin widened at the thought of seeing Lois again and he quickly deposited the rest of the feed and caught up to Kara.

"Lois?" He asked. Kara once again shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing in the wind.

"No it's Chloe. She says its urgent though, she looks a little nervous." Clark frowned as they continued to walk. What could be urgent? His mind couldn't come up with anything and as he entered the house, Chloe was standing by the island in the middle of the kitchen, looking indeed nervous. Kara excused herself and went upstairs.

"Hey Chlo. What is it? Is everything okay?" He asked, a brief flash of worry going through him as he wondered if something had happened to Lois. "Is Lois okay?"

"She's fine Clark. Look I need to tell you something and it's going to be pretty hard for you to hear."

"What is it?" He asked, stepping closer to her. She grabbed his hand and made him sit next to her.

"Okay, I might as well just come out and say it…"

"Chloe, what on earth is it?" Clark asked, getting irritated now.

"Lana's back."

"What?" He nearly fell off his stool. "What are you talking about?"

"I ran into her this morning. She's um…different. She has no memory Clark. The only thing she remembers is you."

Clark stood up and began pacing the kitchen. So many thoughts running through his mind. He was shocked to say the least.

"How uh…what…um where is she now?"

"Outside in my car. The problem is Clark, she thinks that you two are still together."

"What? Doesn't she remember anything that happened?" His legs suddenly felt a little weak and he had to sit down again. He was so confused, how was he supposed to feel about this? He didn't know.

"No, she thinks that maybe she was kidnapped and that someone stole her memories. I tried to fill her in on the way here but she wouldn't believe me. She kept saying that you would fix everything, you'll be able to figure out what's wrong with her and help her. She knows about your secret Clark." Chloe leaned her elbows on the island and leaned her chin on one hand.

Clark didn't know what to say. This was all such a shock, he had never expected to even hear from Lana again much less see her. The question was, where did that leave him?

"I have to go and get her. She wanted me to bring her to you." Chloe got up and headed for the door.

"Wait Chloe…I don't know if that's such a good idea." Chloe looked at him, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "I mean we don't know if she still has the kryptonite in her system."

Chloe shook her head. "I don't think so Clark, she doesn't have any powers now. Look I understand that this is all a bit of a shock to you but…"

"A bit? You think?" He snorted. Chloe ignored it and carried on.

"But I can't just leave her out there in the car. She wants to see you Clark and she's scared. Just talk to her. Please?"

For a few moments Clark didn't answer. He was still reeling from the news that Lana was back. Part of him wanted to be angry. He was finally moving on with his life, becoming who he wanted to be, and again she had come back. Disrupting everything as she had the first time.

But then he felt guilty for feeling like that. It wasn't her fault that something had happened to her and after the way things had been left between them, he at least owed her the chance to tell him what was going on. Maybe he could help her. He closed his eyes and let out a huge sigh.

"Okay, bring her in." Chloe nodded, her face looking as grim as he felt as she left the house.

Clark went into the living room and sat on the sofa. Trying to get his head around this was no easy task. His emotions were all over the place. How he felt hadn't changed, he wasn't in love with her anymore but as the door creaked open and Chloe and Lana walked in, he waited to see if that were the case.

He thought as soon as he saw her, all his old feelings would come rushing back up as they had the last time. But they didn't. It was a strange feeling. To have loved someone so much, and then one day, long after you thought it was over, when they breezed back into your life, you felt nothing.

Well he didn't exactly feel nothing, he was still confused about the whole situation but looking at the girl he had once thought was _the one,_ he knew that he was no longer _in_ love with her. But he still cared about her, that would never change.

"Clark." She said with relief and threw herself into his arms. He held her for a moment, old memories seeping back into his mind, and again he waited for the feelings to accompany them. Nothing.

Gently, he pushed her away so that he could look at her. She seemed different, not because of how she looked, but because of how he knew he felt.

"I'm so happy to see you Clark. I need you to help me. Chloe was nice enough to bring me here."

"Lana, what exactly has happened to you?" All three of them sat down, Clark and Lana on the sofa and Chloe in the chair next to it. Lana grabbed his hand between both of hers and held onto it tightly.

"Well as I told Chloe, about a month ago I was in an accident, well at least that's what I was told. Anyway when I woke up all I could remember was you Clark."

"Nothing else? Just me?" He asked.

"Yeah, I don't even remember where I lived, did I live here with you?" She looked around the living room as if trying to place it.

"Uh for a little while yes. But Lana, we're not together anymore." He said softly. Her eyes flew back to his and she looked scared.

"But we're in love Clark…aren't we? You can't have forgotten about me? Chloe told me that you have moved on since I…well since I left. Is there someone else in your life now?"

Her eyes pleaded with him to say no. He looked over at Chloe for help but she shrugged and looked back to Lana. He wondered how much he should tell her, she seemed fragile, not at all like the Lana who had left a few months ago. But he couldn't tell her about Lois. Not yet. She needed time to adjust to knowing that what she thought was true, in fact wasn't.

"Lana, I promise I'll try my best to help you. But in order to do that I need you to tell me everything you know." He replied, neatly sidestepping the question.

She sighed. "I don't know much Clark. Only that I woke up in a hospital and doctors told me I'd been in some sort of accident. Then I was brought to Metropolis, the doctor told me that I live there. After that, I ran into Chloe, and now here I am. Back with you." She said, a smile lighting her delicate features.

A year ago that smile would've made his heart leap but all he felt now was sympathy. He couldn't help but wonder if this was his opportunity to get the closure that he knew he needed. To fully be able to move on with his life and embrace it, he first had to say goodbye and let go of his past completely.

"What was the name of the hospital you were in?" He asked, he needed somewhere to start.

"I have no idea, no one told me. I was brought straight to Metropolis. I don't even know the doctor's name."

"Well that doesn't give us much to go on." Chloe chimed in. Lana bowed her head and leaned it into her hands. Clark felt bad for her, she was obviously scared and feeling very alone right now. No one deserved that.

"Clark, how much do you wanna bet that Lex has something to do with this?"

"Lex?" Clark looked at Chloe, he could see what she was thinking.

"Think about it, Tess starts getting weird emails about a week before Lana shows up sans memory? It's a little too coincidental don't you think?"

Lex obviously had a bigger game plan than he thought. He nodded, letting her know that he knew what she was on to but wanted to spare Lana the details. She seemed to have been through more than enough for one day.

"Lana, listen, why don't you come back to my apartment and get some rest? We can figure out all the details later." Chloe said gently.

"No, I need to stay with Clark. No offence Chloe you've been really kind and sweet but I don't know you. I want to stay here with Clark. I feel safe with him." Lana said adamantly.

Chloe looked at Clark who slowly shook his head. He didn't want her staying here. Even if he had the room, which he didn't, how would it look to Lois? No he couldn't do that to her.

"Uh Lana, I don't think that's possible. I just don't have the room what with Kara staying here."

"Who's Kara?" Lana asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"My cousin."

"But you don't have a cousin Clark. You're not even from this planet."

"She's my cousin…from my home planet. It's a long story and one you shouldn't worry about. You have enough to deal with. My point was that there simply isn't enough room here for you to stay. I'm sorry Lana, but you'll be in good hands with Chloe, she's a good friend. She'll stay with you until we can get something sorted okay?" He spoke in low, soft tones and eventually Lana nodded.

She didn't like the idea of staying with a complete stranger, but Clark sensed that she knew he was right.

"Okay. But just promise me that you'll help me. I don't want to do this alone. I need you Clark." She said and with that, wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"Don't worry Lana, we'll work this out somehow."

Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to embrace her and remember what it had felt like to have her in his arms. A door that had now been closed. Despite the circumstances surrounding her arrival, he was glad that she was here. Because now he could truly see what he wanted. And who he wanted.

As he opened his eyes, he looked up to see the object of his affection standing motionless at the door. Her wide eyes taking in the sight before her. He quickly released Lana and stood up, racing towards the door as Lois turned and bolted down the steps of the porch so fast he wondered for a split second if she had super speed. He caught up to her halfway down the gravel driveway, near the barn.

"Lois wait!" He grabbed her wrist but she snatched it back. Her eyes held a fury that scared him a little.

"Don't touch me." She spat angrily.

"Lois, you don't understand…"

"What's to understand? Lana's back and once again I'm cast into the shadows. What is it with you Clark? Why can't you just get past her?"

"I have Lois, that wasn't what it looked like…" He pleaded with her to listen but she kept walking, ignoring him as she reached for her car door. He quickly stood between her and the car, effectively blocking her exit with his big frame.

"Move it Smallville." She growled.

"No, not until you hear me out."

"Fine, I'll walk." She turned on her heel and started walking off. Clark matched her pace, deciding that stopping her would not be the best course of action, so he settled for walking alongside her.

"Lois I promise you that what you saw in there wasn't what it looked like. I was just as shocked as you are to see her. I had no idea she was coming back." Lois kept her head forward, refusing to look at him.

"So that's why you were in her arms was it? That's why you were telling her you could work it out?"

"Lois, she isn't here for the reasons you think. She's lost her memory, she doesn't remember anything except me."

Lois' steps slowed and suddenly she turned and slapped him hard across the face. Clark blinked in shock but then took her hand as he noticed she was shaking it to ease the stinging in her palm. She pulled it back and stepped away from him.

"Of course she doesn't. It always comes back to you doesn't it? I'm such a fool. I opened myself up to you yesterday in a way that no one has ever seen before. I gave everything I had to you and now…she's back." She kept her head bowed, still refusing to meet his eyes.

"Lois, I love you. How can you think that after what we shared yesterday, I could just go back to Lana without a second thought."

"Oh I don't know…" She said angrily. "Maybe the fact that you've been in love with her since you were about ten and she left you yet again. This is what I don't get Clark, she keeps hurting you, breaking your heart and yet you continue to take her back each time she breezes into town with a new problem."

"I haven't taken her back Lois. Please you have to believe me. I don't know the reasons why she can't remember anything… but I have to help her." Lois glared at him.

"Why? What do you owe her Clark?" She waited for an answer. He hesitated. He couldn't explain the reason why he felt he needed to help Lana.

"That's what I thought. I suppose she also has nowhere to go and she'll be staying here?" She closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair.

It seemed she was doing everything she could to keep him from seeing what was in her eyes. Though he wished she would look at him, he didn't know if he would be able to stand the pain he knew he would see.

"No, she's staying with Chloe until we can get this figured out." He felt awful, he was hurting her and he didn't know how to make it better. Suddenly she looked up, but not at him.

"Chloe…I see." She said, nodding her head, a bitter expression on her face. He thought he saw a sheen of tears in her eyes but she moved her head to quick for him to tell.

"Lois…" He moved towards her, reaching out for her but she lurched back and headed back towards her car. He stood still for a few minutes, watching her leave and powerless to do anything to stop it. He had the nagging fear that he was losing her. He couldn't let that happen. Not now. Not ever. He ran over to her and grabbed her hand again.

"Lois please don't leave like this." He said quietly.

With her back turned to him, he couldn't see her face, but he felt her shivering and all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and promise everything was going to be okay. But he knew that she wouldn't accept that and it would probably just push her further away.

"I don't want to lose you."

"Clark…" Her shoulders slumped as she turned around. "I need some time to think. Let me go." She asked, he could hear her voice wavering. But still he held on.

"Please." She said. "I can't do this right now. I have to go."

"Then look at me, please."

"Can you honestly stand there and tell me that seeing her again isn't affecting you? That you feel nothing?" He wanted to speak, wanted to say yes but his mouth wouldn't open. A second too late he realised that his silence had just condemned him in her eyes.

"I thought so." And just when he thought that she was going to pull away from him one last time, she finally looked up into his eyes.

What he saw there broke his heart. She was hurting, but there seemed to be something more lurking behind the tears that were now so evident. He wondered if something had happened before she'd arrived here to find Lana back. He reached a hand up to her face but she slapped it away and got back into her car.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she floored the gas pedal and sped off, covering him in a layer of dust from the gravel. He didn't even blink. He watched her car disappear with a heavy heart and he was scared that he'd just thrown away the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Inside the house, Chloe and Lana stood watching at the window. Chloe felt so bad for him. And for Lois. She had still yet to apologise to her for her outburst earlier today. Now she would think that Chloe was in on it too. That she was against her.

"He really does love her doesn't he?" Lana asked, but there was no resentment or bitterness in her voice.

Chloe nodded, she couldn't speak past the lump in her throat. Unable to stand there and watch Clark like this any longer, Chloe ran outside and threw her arms around him. At first he didn't respond, he was still staring at the dust trail that was now settling in Lois' wake. Eventually Chloe felt his shoulders sag as his head dropped onto her shoulder.

* * *

Lois drove as far as she could before the tears finally clouded her vision and she had to pull over. She felt like such an idiot. She had allowed her judgement to become cloudy and in the course of that, everything she had felt in the last few days had come crashing down around her ears. Once again Lana Lang was back and Clark was where he wanted to be. With her.

Lois tried to get the image of him holding her out of her head but it wouldn't budge. It mocked her, telling her what a fool she'd been to let him in. To let him get close. Unable to hold it back any longer she choked out a sob as the tears flowed freely.

She had only gone to the farm to see him. After her visit from the Sergeant that morning, she had needed him to hold her in his arms and kiss her. She had needed him to make it all better. To take away her fear and pain. But that had been her mistake. She should never have gone there.

She should've just done what she had learned to do from a very young age. Deal with it herself. But this was the first time she had ever truly felt abandoned. And her own cousin, where was she? She was right in the thick of it with Clark and Lana, as she always had been. As the tears slowed, Lois started her engine up again and drove off, feeling very alone.

She parked up at the kerb next to her apartment building three hours later. For a long time she just sat there, eyes not really focussing on anything. Taking a deep breath, she got out of the car and started walking up the street. She wasn't ready to go home just yet. She had turned her cell phone off after the fifth call from Clark.

She just wanted to walk and try to forget about everything that had happened today. As if the heavens sensed her mood, the clouds in the sky opened up and the rain poured down heavily. She walked for blocks, lost and wet. She barely registered a hand on her shoulder, halting her in her steps.

"Lois?" Oliver Queen stood half in and half out of his limo, looking at her with concern.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm…yeah…um…" She murmured, not really knowing what she was saying.

"Hey," He closed the door and walked around to face her. "Lois, what's wrong?" She looked down at the pavement. She had no one to turn to anymore. She couldn't talk to Chloe, Clark was…well she wanted nothing to do with Clark, and Lucy was somewhere across the other side of the world.

Oliver knew something was very wrong. He quickly took off his black suit jacket and wrapped it around her shivering frame. Putting a comforting arm around her shoulders, he steered her back towards the limo. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"No I don't want to go home." She said quietly. Oliver frowned but decided not to push it.

"Okay, I'll take you back to my place. Come on, you can't stay out in the rain. You're freezing." He opened the door and waited for her to get in.

As he closed the door and the limo started driving off, Oliver looked over at Lois. Her head was bowed as she seemed to be studying the floor and she was trembling.

"Lois, what happened to you?" He said softly, not really expecting her to answer. Whatever it was had to be bad. He'd never seen her like this before and it deeply concerned him. She looked so…lost.


	13. Chapter 12

**_Chapter Twelve_**

Oliver handed Lois a towel to dry her hair as soon as he'd gotten her seated up in his penthouse. She took it with a shaky hand and started drying her hair.

"So…" He sat down next to her. "What happened Lois?"

"I'm having what you would call a rough day." She replied tightly.

"Yeah I kind of figured that. Is it Clark?" Lois didn't really want to discuss the details of her relationship with Clark with her ex. But she needed to talk to someone and Oliver had been there for her in the past.

"Lana's back."

"Oh I see." Was all he said. She gave him a moment to digest that information and what it meant.

"She's lost her memory," She snorted. "And of course, in true Smallville fashion, Clark is the only one she remembers. So she's back and asking for his help."

"Why has she lost her memory?" Oliver asked, Lois knew he didn't like Lana. He didn't trust her, though she didn't know why. She was glad that she at least had one person on her side.

"I have no idea. But Clark said that he felt he needed to help her. Oh man, I'm such a sap." She groaned, laying the now damp towel over her knees. Oliver took her hand in his.

"No you're not Lois. You love him, there's nothing wrong with that. But don't you think that maybe you, and don't kill me for saying this, maybe you over reacted just a tad?" Lois glared at him. How dare he?

"Just hear me out…" He said, raising his hands. "Think about it rationally Lois, Clark has only ever known Lana. What he has with you is different, adult and mature and he needs that. He needs you. Just because she's back doesn't mean that he's going to fall back into old habits. We both know Clark and we both know that the one thing he would never do, is give someone hope only to take it away again. He loves you Lois."

She opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it again when she realised that maybe he was right. If she hadn't had her father on her mind, would she have been so quick to dismiss what Clark was saying? Would she have stayed to find out exactly what was going on? She wasn't sure.

All she knew was that she hadn't wanted to stick around. And knowing Chloe was there too only made it worse. But as she allowed her mind to process what Clark had said, none of it actually pointed to him going back to Lana. Or even thinking about doing so.

And he had said that he loved her. Even though she hated to admit it, she knew that Clark was not the type of person to say that sort of thing if he didn't mean it. If he had been having doubts about their relationship, she had given him the perfect out and he hadn't taken it. She blew out a breath, she didn't know what she was supposed to be feeling right now, other than anger.

"What else is it Lois? There's something else bothering you."

"I uh…" She hesitated, didn't want to say it. Because as soon as she did, it would make it real and she would have to deal with it. But the look on Oliver's face told her he wasn't going anywhere until she told him and so, with a sigh, she started.

"I got a visit from a sergeant Thompson this morning. Apparently my father is missing." Seeing the immediate sympathy on his face made Lois turn her head away. She couldn't take that, not right now.

"He's missing and…presumed dead." She said, her voice cracking a little. Oliver drew her in for a hug but she pulled away. "I'm okay Ollie. I just would really like to get out of these wet clothes, do you have something I could borrow?" Oliver watched her for a moment and she could feel his eyes boring into her. She knew he wanted to know more but she couldn't. She just couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Sure. I'll go get you something and then we can put your clothes in the dryer." He gave her a warm smile and got up. His phone started ringing as he walked around his desk. He pressed the speakerphone button and leaned his elbows on the back of his chair.

"Hello?"

"Oliver…" Clark's voice boomed through and Lois stiffened in her seat.

"Hey Clark, what's up?" Oliver asked, keeping his eyes glued to Lois.

"I was wondering if you'd seen or heard from Lois. I can't find her and I'm worried about her." Lois closed her eyes, she could hear the worry in his voice and she hated it. She was still angry with him. Or at least she still wanted to be angry with him. She honestly didn't know anymore. Her head was all over the place.

"Uh…" Oliver hesitated and Lois quickly opened her eyes and shook her head.

"I'm afraid I haven't Clark. Is something wrong?"

"Well it's a long story. Look if you hear from her, please tell her that I'm looking for her and that…" He paused and Lois found herself walking over to the phone. "Just tell her that I love her."

Silence filled the room for what seemed like an eternity, Clark seemed to be desperate to find her but Lois still wasn't ready to face him. With another shake of her head, Oliver sighed and gave her an exasperated look which told her exactly what he thought of being put in the middle.

"Okay Clark, if I hear from her I'll let you know right away."

"Thanks man. Bye." The phone went dead and Oliver hung up.

"Well, I'm just gonna go and get you those clothes." Oliver said, clearly deciding not to broach the subject with her and headed up the stairs. He paused on the second step, turning to look at her with amusement.

"Oh and Lois?"

"Hmm?"

"You do remember that Clark has super hearing don't you?" He chuckled softly to himself as he ran up the winding staircase, leaving Lois standing there, mouth hanging open and alone with that thought. _Speakerphone. Damn you Oliver Queen._

* * *

Clark slammed his phone down for the final time and grimaced as he felt the plastic break apart under his palm. He surveyed the damage with a heavy sigh. Another one ruined.

"Whoa Clark, take it easy." Kara said as she sauntered into the living room. "What happened?"

"I can't get hold of Lois. I've blown it Kara. She probably won't ever talk to me again." He said glumly, walking past her into the kitchen. Lana and Chloe had left over an hour ago, leaving him to frantically search for Lois.

"Is this because Lana's back?" Clark stood at the sink, hands leaning against the side, looking out the window at the rain. It seemed as bleak out there as his mood.

"I don't know what to do anymore. I can't find her, she's not at home, I checked, she's turned her cell phone off. I called everyone I know that she'd go to. No one has seen her."

A frown wrinkled his brow as he thought of his conversation with Oliver. He'd seemed awfully helpful. Too helpful in fact. He knew Oliver well enough to know when he was being evasive. And Clark could've sworn he'd heard something in the background. He should've used his hearing, but he had always been taught to never use that to invade someone's privacy. He suddenly found himself wishing he'd broken that rule just once.

"Clark, she just needs time to calm down. You explained why Lana was back didn't you?"

"No, I don't know that myself Kara. I don't know why Lana's here but I can't just turn my back on her. She needs help."

"And you're the one who has to do it?" He detected a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Who else is there?"

"Clark I may not have been around here very long but even I have eyes. Lana isn't the problem here. It's you." Clark spun round to face his younger cousin who wore an apologetic expression.

"What?"

"Have you thought that maybe if you'd explained to Lois that she is the _only_ one you want to be with, she would've been fine?"

"I told her that I love her. I don't know what else to say. I just think that Lana's return isn't as innocent as it seems, I think there's something or someone behind her memory loss." He sat down at the table, running both hands through his hair.

"What did she say when you said you loved her?" Kara asked, ignoring his suspicions.

"She didn't say anything. She looked so hurt Kara, I hated being the one that put that look on her face."

"Telling her you love her isn't enough Clark. I know I don't know Lois as well as you do but I'm guessing what she really wanted was a guarantee that you aren't going to go running back into Lana's arms again. She's probably scared that you helping her will dredge up old feelings and wondering where that would leave her?" Clark chewed on his lip, considering Kara's words.

"You need to find her Clark, you can't let her go through the night like this. It needs fixing now." Clark tilted his head to study his cousin.

"And how am I supposed to do that Kara, she won't even talk to me." He said, raising his voice.

"Show her how much you love her. Its not enough to just say it Clark, you have to show her exactly what she means to you."

"Since when did you become an expert on human emotions?" He asked, with a slight smile. She smiled back.

"I didn't Clark. I just know how a girl feels and thinks." She shrugged. His smile faded as he remembered the way Lois had glared at him so angrily.

"She was so angry." Then he frowned, a thought suddenly occurring to him.

"What?" Kara asked, seeing the change.

"I don't know, I know she was lashing out because of what she saw in here but I think that there was more to it than that. The Lois I know would've reacted the same way but she would've stayed and argued and fought me. Lois didn't do that, she gave up too easily Kara. Something else was wrong with her."

Kara stood up and headed for the refrigerator. "Again I say, you need to find her Clark. You've got to tell her everything, otherwise you really may lose her before you've even started."

"I think I know where she might be," He said, he kissed gratefully Kara on the cheek and left the house.

"Go get her Kal-El." Kara muttered under her breath after he'd gone.

* * *

After a nice, long, hot shower, Lois felt a lot better. Since Oliver had put her clothes in the dryer, she had to wear one of his shirts and a baggy pair of his sweatpants for the time being.

Seeing that it had now stopped raining, Lois made her way out onto the balcony. The fresh scent of the rain clung to the air as the sun was beginning to set and she took in a deep breath, allowing it to soothe her frazzled nerves.

She was still no closer to reaching an answer about Clark. What was he thinking, helping Lana? Was he doing it out of pity? Love? Friendship? What? She froze as she heard the elevator door swing open and his voice called out.

"Oliver?" Knowing that she would have to face him sooner or later, though she had been hoping it would be the latter, Lois sighed and walked back inside. She almost laughed as Clark looked at her and his mouth fell open as if he were catching flies. But the hurt was still there and she wasn't ready to forgive him yet.

"What are you doing here?" She asked but it didn't come out as harsh as she'd wanted it to. She saw his eyes taking in every detail of her appearance and she felt a sudden urge to play with him. But looking at him, seeing his shoulders slumped and that sorry expression on his face, she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"I came to see you. I was worried about you, I couldn't find you." He said, walking closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers.

"How did you find me?"

"Is there a reason you're wearing your ex boyfriend's clothes?" He asked, deflecting, and then pointed down at her body and she didn't miss the not so hidden note of jealousy in his voice.

"It was raining, I got wet and you so don't have the right to be jealous right now Clark." She said shortly, moving away from him. She sat down on the edge of the sofa and started combing through her hair. "Don't you have somewhere to be? Some little amnesiac to be helping?" This time she couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice. He crossed the room and sat down beside her.

"Lois, I'm so sorry. I never meant for you to get hurt. But you have to know that I meant what I said. I love you and yesterday was the best day of my life." Lois scoffed and carried on with her hair, keeping her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Lana coming back changes nothing Lois. I don't want her, I want you. Only you." She felt him move, he knelt down on the floor in front of her, a pleading look in his eyes and she was powerless to look away.

Every instinct in her was screaming at her to fight him. To not let him in again. But her heart wasn't listening to her head.

"Clark, don't you see? It changes everything. I asked you if you still felt something for her and you said nothing. You just stood there with that dumb look on your face."

"You didn't give me a chance to Lois. You have to understand, I was still shocked from seeing her. I never thought I would see her again. But it didn't and doesn't change the way I feel about you. The whole time I was with her, all I could think about was you."

"I want to believe that. But I know you Clark, I've known you when you've been with her and then without her and then with her again. I can't be the one caught in the middle of all that. I won't."

"There's nothing for you to be in the middle of anymore Lois. I will always care about Lana, but you…I've never felt this strongly before…about anyone and it scares me. It excites me and it scares me Lois. But most of all it makes me feel hopeful for a future that I never thought was possible for someone like me," Lois hated that he was able to make her anger fade little by little with those puppy dog eyes. She bet he didn't even know that he was doing it.

"So if I ask again, are you going to give me a straight answer?" He nodded. "Okay then, Clark do you still have feelings for Lana?" He lifted himself up, so that he was eye to eye with her but still kneeling before her. The intensity in his eyes unnerved her.

"No. I don't. I care about her as a friend and nothing more than that. You're the one I want to be with Lois. I love _you_. The whole time I was talking to her, I made it very clear to her that we aren't a couple anymore. She didn't seem too upset about it. Chloe told me that after you left, Lana was watching out the window…"

"Spying?" Lois asked, eyes narrowing.

"No, apparently she said and I quote 'He really does love her doesn't he?' so if she can see it then why can't you?" He took the hand she was still brushing her hair with and placed it over his heart.

"I'm sorry. I truly am. But you understand that I can't just turn my back on her don't you? She's still my friend Lois and I don't want to see anything bad happen to her and I know you don't either."

"No… I don't." Lois agreed, and she really didn't. But having her in Clark's life again made her more than a little jealous and she hated admitting it even to herself. She wasn't the jealous type.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. Why couldn't things just be simple in her life? Just for once, why couldn't she have a nice, normal relationship without all the angst and drama? Of course she knew her life with Clark would be anything but normal but that was what made it so special.

For the first time in what seemed like days, Lois felt a smile warm her face. He cupped her face with both hands and kissed her on the lips.

"I don't want you to ever doubt the way I feel about you Lois. There's no telling how long Lana's going to be around but I don't care. I have everything I want right here. Yesterday meant so much to me Lois, I know you opened yourself up to me and I'm grateful for that, but I shared something with you that I have never shared before."

Snorting, she replied. "Yeah well a lot of guys say that after they get laid."

"It was more than that and you know it. It was never just about sex. We connected a such a level that I've never felt before. It still amazes me now. I know that I should've stopped you from leaving, I should've told you the truth but I was still in shock and wasn't thinking clearly. Well I'm thinking clearly now. Can you forgive me for being such an idiot? " He smiled softly at her, a genuine tender smile and she felt her heart melt.

"I guess I can manage that Smallville." She smirked. He chuckled, sighing in relief after hearing her call him Smallville. "But one little thing. If she ever puts the moves on you, I won't be held responsible for my actions. Got it?" She said, poking her index finger at his chest for emphasis.

"Got it. But I don't think you need to worry about that Lois. She may only remember me and her being together but she knows now that it can't happen. She's just scared and I would be if I were in her shoes. She can't remember anything."

"So how exactly do you plan on helping her?"

"I don't know. But I just have this feeling that someone else is behind it." He drew her in for a hug, holding her tightly in his arms. She let herself be swallowed up in his strong embrace.

For a moment, all her worries were forgotten. She felt safe again, as if nothing could touch her. But then reality set in and she had to face it again. A shudder ran through her entire body and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Lo? What's wrong?" He asked, still holding her close. She blinked back the tears, she didn't want to cry anymore. Crying was for the weak and she needed to stay strong. He pulled back and held her face again, looking deep into her hazel eyes. "Please tell me."

"Its my father." She replied quietly. Taking a deep breath she told him everything, every last detail and she waited for the sympathetic look that she knew he would give her. But it didn't come. Instead of sympathy she saw empathy, he felt her pain. She knew then that he really did love her, just as much as she loved him.

"We'll get through this Lois, you're not alone. I'm here. And if I can help find your father in any way, I'll do it."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me Lois, you know I would do anything for you. I love you." He said, his lips curving up into a heart warming smile.

"I love you too." She replied, leaning in to kiss him.

"Not that I don't appreciate what he's done, but um do you think maybe we could get you home and into some of your own clothes? It's kind of hard kissing you while you're wearing your ex's clothes in his penthouse." He asked, a wicked gleam in his eye.

"But my clothes are in the dryer…" She started but then caught on to what he meant. She chuckled, he was still jealous. "Oh I see. Well I guess I can always come back later for them." She replied.

"Clark! About time you got here." Oliver's voice drifted down from the steps on the other side of the room.

"You sneaky son of a…"

"Lois." Clark warned.

"Sorry Lois but someone had to do it. You're too stubborn for your own good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to but feel free to let yourselves out." He smirked jokingly and then threw her now dry and deliciously warm clothes to her.

"Subtle isn't he?" Lois said, glaring at him as she gathered her things. She felt Clark grab her free hand, rather possessively and lead her towards the elevator. She never understood why men were so competitive around each other. Especially those who were supposed to be friends.

"Thanks Ollie, I really appreciate it."

"Anytime Lois. Call me if you need anything." He replied. She smiled just as Clark opened the door and led them into the awaiting elevator.

Two minutes later they were standing in her apartment. She tried to wriggle free from his arms but he just tightened them around her, pulling her closer to him. He didn't want to put her down, he loved the feel of her in his arms.

"Smallville, put me down." She said, wriggling again and he wondered for a moment, if she was angry with him again. She stormed off into her room and closed the door, leaving Clark standing there dumbfounded.

"What just happened?" He wondered aloud.

Wanting to use his super hearing to see what she was doing but knew he shouldn't, he refrained and walked around to sit down on the sofa. He just hoped that she was okay. She was still upset about her father. He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear her bedroom door open.

"Hey Smallville." He turned around in his seat and his eyes nearly popped right out of his head. She had changed into her robe, leaving it untied with just the tiniest glimpse of her bra and panties. His mouth started watering as he took in the beautiful sight.

Her hair, which was now dry, fell in deep, chocolate brown waves around her face, framing it. She leaned against the doorway to her bedroom, a seductive smile playing at her lips.

All self control abandoned him as he got up and walked over to her. He grabbed her waist and pulled her roughly against him, kissing her with unbridled passion. Lifting her up, he carried her into the bedroom and closed the door behind them. He laid her down on the bed and, leaning over her, gently caressed her cheek.

All of a sudden she looked so sad, so worn out. He wanted to do something for her, anything to make it better. He had no idea of how she was coping with this, her father was presumed dead, he'd been missing for two days. There had been blood found at the scene and it was no small amount.

He wished that she would've called him when she'd found out, she had been alone when she'd been told that the amount of blood found, made it difficult to judge whether or not he could still be alive.

"Are you okay?" He asked, wanting to be sure.

"I think so. I need to go and find him Clark…" She said quietly.

"Lo…there's nothing you can do out there. I don't want you to get hurt. They'll find him I'm sure of it. He'll be okay…he's a Lane isn't he?"

"Yeah but what if he's…"

"Sshh, don't think like that Lois." He murmured.

"I know I know, I have to be strong," She said with disgust, and he guessed that she had been told that practically her entire life.

"You don't have to be strong Lois, you just have to keep hoping. You're not alone anymore honey."

She swallowed hard, tears forming in her eyes at his term of endearment. He was a little surprised that she had allowed it but it only reminded him of how fragile she was right now. His tough, strong Lois Lane was suddenly not so tough. And it hurt him to think that she was going through it.

"I need you…" She whispered. He leaned down and placed a loving kiss on her cheek, where a tear had just fallen.

"I'm here." He replied. She smiled and brought his lips down to hers. He could feel the message in her kiss, he knew what she wanted and while he couldn't deny he wanted it too, he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do under the circumstances.

"Lo…" He pulled back gently, leaning his forehead against hers. "Are you sure you wanna do this? We can just…"

"Smallville…I just want you. I want you to make love to me. I need to feel close to you. I need to…" She didn't say it, she didn't have to. He knew what she meant. She needed to feel loved.

He didn't say anything else, he wasn't sure he could and he could feel his own tears threatening to build at the emotion he saw in her eyes. Without saying another word, he kissed her.

Their lovemaking that night was raw, emotional and the connection that they both felt left them breathless. It left him feeling as if he would never be able to get enough of her. That was fine with him. He wanted to spend the rest of his life exactly like this. Lying in the arms of the woman he loved.


	14. Chapter 13

**_Chapter Thirteen_**

Clark's eyes slowly fluttered open, he could hear something. With the curtains drawn it was still fairly dark but there was a sliver of sunlight peeking in through the crack between them. Turning his head, he glanced over at Lois. She was lying with her back to him and her head buried in her pillow. And she was…laughing?

A small smile crept up his face as he softly turned onto his side. He reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, intending to wake her up, but he hesitated. After what happened yesterday, it felt good to hear her laugh again. But he wondered what kind of dream she could be having to make her have such a reaction.

He listened for a few moments, letting her laughter wash over him. But after deciding that she would probably kill him if she woke to find him staring at her like this, he gently shook her shoulder.

She giggled when his hand connected with her skin. "Smallville stop it." She said in a light dreamy tone. He grinned, feeling a sudden primal lust at the knowledge that she was dreaming about him.

"Lois…" He said quietly in her ear.

"Mmm?"

"Lois…wake up."

She stirred, turning over and bringing herself directly into his arms, and he took a moment to study her features. She was still smiling though the laughter had stopped, he softly ran a finger over her cheek and down her jaw line. He wondered when it was that he'd fallen in love with her. He didn't know, maybe it had always been there. But looking at her now, her face soft and dreamy, he knew that he had fallen hard.

He gathered her closer, her hand coming up to rest on his bare chest, and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. He didn't want to wake her up. Because as soon as he did, reality would set in.

Her father would still be missing, Lana would still be here and she would still be suspended from the Daily Planet. Even if it was only for a few more minutes, he wanted to protect her from that. He wondered how anyone could have so much happen within a few days and still stand.

Unable to resist any longer, he softly touched his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly. She moaned and responded, bringing her hand up to his face. Slowly, her eyes opened and focused on him.

"Sounds like you were having quite the dream there Lane." He smiled down at her, but the soft, dreamy look on her face faded and was quickly replaced with a frown. He didn't like it. She sat up straight and brought both hands up to cover her face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, sitting up with her. He leaned his chin on her shoulder. Slowly, he felt her relax against him. He pulled her back down and she settled with her head on his chest.

"I was having a dream about you. It was a good dream." She said, her voice husky from her sleep but he could hear the sadness there.

"Then what's with the frown?" He asked, his fingers running through her long locks as his chin rested against the top of her head.

"I feel…guilty."

"Why?"

"Because I shouldn't be laughing Clark. Not now. And I definitely shouldn't be having those kind of dreams." He sighed, understanding what she meant.

"Lo… its okay to laugh you know. You can't spend every second being stressed out and worried, you'll only make yourself ill that way."

"I know…but still." She tilted her head up and looked at him. "I just feel so useless. I need to do something Clark. I couldn't get a hold of Lucy, she's somewhere in Europe that much I know but…she needs to know about this."

"Maybe it would be best to wait until he's found. Or until you know more about the situation." He said, certainty in his voice. "If she's halfway across the world, she'll only be doing what you're doing right now. Worrying herself sick."

"Maybe." She blew out a breath. "I should probably tell Chloe too. He is her uncle after all."

"I was wondering if she knew, she didn't mention anything yesterday."

"She doesn't know, I haven't talked to her since…well since she had a 'blame everything on Lois' moment."

He frowned. "What happened?"

"Oh its nothing." She placed her hands either side of him to push herself up but he held her against him. She sighed, knowing he wasn't going to release her until she told him. "Well I went to see her yesterday and she was upset about something. She didn't seem to want to tell me at first so I pushed and eventually she showed me a letter from Jimmy's lawyer. He filed for divorce."

"Oh. I never thought he would do that. I thought they were getting along okay."

"So did she. Anyway long story short I tried to console her but you know me, not good with words, she kind of snapped and let me have it." Clark didn't know what to think. On one hand he was sad for his friend, he knew she was having a hard time. But on the other, he felt annoyed at her too. She shouldn't have brought Lois into it.  
"What did she say?" He asked, wanting to know.

"She just made a few comments about us. I think something bigger was bothering her than just Jimmy."

"Like what?"

"Well think about it Clark, she was the only one you went to with your problems. I think maybe she's feeling a little redundant now that I know your secret."

"That's ridiculous. Chloe's happy for us." He said, but he had a feeling that Lois was right.

"She is, but I think maybe she feels a little pushed out. Combine that with the whole divorce thing and you can see why she's feeling like that. You should probably have a talk with her. You know, let her know that she's still important to you."

He nodded and smiled. "I will. But I have something very important to do first."

A quizzical expression appeared. "And that would be?"

"This…" Cupping her face, he covered her lips with his. She parted her lips, moaning softly as he deepened the kiss. Her hands roamed over the broad muscles of his chest as his slid down around her waist.

She lifted one leg over him so that she was now straddling him. The cherry blossom scent of her hair falling around his face as they kissed, intoxicated him. The feel of her breasts against his chest, excited him.

It took both of them a few minutes to register that Clark's cell phone was ringing from his pants which were on the floor by the bed. With a groan, she dropped her head onto his chest and then shifted to the side so he could answer it.

"Hello?" He said, annoyed at the interruption.

"Clark, it's Chloe. Where are you?"

"I'm with Lois. What's up?" He asked. There was a brief silence on the line for a moment. After what Lois had just told him, he wondered if he'd accidentally just poured salt into a wound he hadn't known was there. He really needed to have a talk with Chloe.

"I uh, well we need you to come to Isis. I think I may have found something."

"About Lana?"

"No unfortunately I can't trace the hospital she was at or any of the doctors. Lana did give me a description of the guy who dropped her off in Metropolis but I have no way of finding him without a name. I'm gonna try and run it through Oliver's face recognition software, see if we get lucky but that's a long shot. But I have found something you might want to take a look at."

"Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Clark!" He heard Lois yell from the living room. He glanced at the other side of the bed. When had she gotten out and why hadn't he noticed? He supposed that he shouldn't be surprised. Lois had a way of sneaking past his defences in more ways than one.

"I gotta go Chloe. I'll be there soon I promise." He hung up before she had time to reply and darted into the living room, senses instantly on the defensive. Lois was standing, in her robe, looking over her laptop, an alarmed expression on her face.

"What? What is it?" He moved to stand at her side but realised that he was still naked. He quickly sped back into the bedroom, put on his boxers and went back out again. She pointed to her computer and Clark bent down to take a look. What he saw made his blood run cold.

"Who sent this?" He asked, standing back up to face her. She was deathly pale and she couldn't seem to take her eyes off the screen. He gently grabbed her shoulders and shook them.

"Lois!"

"I don't know. Clark…that's…" He quickly embraced her, one hand rubbing gentle circles on her back as the other held her head to his chest, turning her so that she could no longer see the picture on the screen.

"I know. Lois it'll be okay, I'll find him."

"How?" She said, her voice breaking.

His eyes drifted back to the picture. Lois' father was sitting on a chair, blood running down his face, hands tied behind him. His head was bowed, chin resting on his on his chest. He didn't look like he had much left in him. It was apparent that he had been beaten badly, judging from the bruising and swelling on his face.

Clark could barely hold in his anger, it was hard to see a General in that state. The room he was being held in was dark and there weren't any distinguishing features that Clark could see.

Lois was trembling, he tightened his protective hold on her and led her back into the bedroom. Sitting her down on the bed he knelt down in front of her.

"Lois, look at me." He put a finger under her chin and tilted her face up. "I will find him. But first we need to get some details on who that was sent from. Come on sweetie, get dressed, I'll get your laptop. We'll go see Chloe. Maybe she can get something from the email."

She nodded slowly, got up and walked into her bathroom. Clark took a few moments to calm himself down. He hated seeing Lois like this. He knew she hated it too, she thought it made her weak to show emotions. But she had opened herself up to him and he promised himself that he would not let her down again. He quickly got dressed and walked back into the living room, unplugged her laptop and put it in its case.

Lois came through a few minutes later still looking pale and he was getting worried about her. When was the last time she had eaten? How much more of this could she take? Dropping a quick kiss on her temple, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her out the door.

* * *

He walked back into his apartment and let out a sigh of relief. Everything was as he'd left it a month ago. He was still shocked that they'd allowed him to return home. Of course the person on the phone had promised that once he'd finished what was required of him, he would be free to carry on with his life under the proviso that he keep his mouth shut.

He said person because over the past few days, he'd had this nagging suspicion that the caller was using some kind of voice modifier. But he couldn't be sure of that. Either way it was creepy and left him feeling scared. He knew the kind of people he was dealing with, so he would keep his mouth shut.

Bending down to pick up the mountain of mail he'd received, he walked into the kitchen and put it down on the counter. He walked around to the refrigerator, he almost threw up from the stench that emerged as he opened the door. He needed to eat something, he hadn't had anything in the last day. He'd been ordered to keep tabs on the girl.

Deciding that he would like to go out for something to eat, he went into his bedroom and opened the closet, he barely had time to register the clicking sound behind him before he fell onto his bed, his eyes taking on a glassy look as the silent bullet penetrated his brain within mere seconds. 


	15. Chapter 14

**_Chapter Fourteen_**

"Lois!" Chloe called out as she and Clark entered the Isis foundation. "What happened? Are you all right?" She said, taking in Lois' pale complexion with a concerned look.

"It's been a long night."

"Listen Lo I'm really sorry about yesterday. I had no right to take my anger out on you. You didn't deserve that." Chloe said, regret etched onto her pretty features. Lois hugged her.

"It's okay Chlo. I know you were just upset."

"Still I should never have let it go that far. I just had a few issues I needed to work out."

"Honestly Chlo. It's fine." She replied biting down hard on her lip to keep from saying something as she witnessed Lana hugging Clark like he was her lifeline.

But even though the anger flared up, Lois found herself feeling strangely sympathetic towards Lana. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have all her memories disappear. She knew that if she couldn't remember anyone except Clark, she would be sticking to him like glue so she couldn't really blame Lana for the way she was acting.

But that didn't mean she wanted to see it either. Her anger however, dissipated a little as Clark's eyes found hers and he sent her a reassuring smile. The intensely deep connection they'd shared last night had left her in no doubt of his feelings towards her. He'd been so attentive, so sweet and so loving that it made her heart ache even more for him.

But still she found herself feeling a little relieved when he took a step back from Lana, gently extricating himself from her embrace.

Realising that she'd been staring at them for too long, Lois turned her attention back to her cousin, who was watching her carefully. Taking a deep breath, Lois began.

"Chlo…dad's been…abducted." She waited a moment for it to sink in. Then Chloe wrapped her arm around her shoulders and led her into the back room with Clark following closely behind.

Sitting down at the table, Lois noticed Oliver standing in the room where all the high tech computer equipment was. He nodded his head in greeting to her and Clark.

"What happened?" Chloe asked and Lois began telling her what had happened the previous day. As she was talking, she felt Clark take her hand in his, offering her his support and she was grateful he was there. She didn't know if she had the strength to deal with this on her own. All her life she'd had to be tough, strong, independent. She was sick of it. She didn't want to do this on her own anymore.

"So no one knows anything?" Chloe asked, disbelief written all over her face.

Lois shook her head. "No, sergeant Thompson says that they have their best team on it but they're as clueless as I am. Which is why I was hoping you'd be able to pull off a miracle with this e-mail." She said, handing her laptop over to her.

Chloe nodded and got up to connect it to the Isis' main system, which was better equipped for this sort of task. As she started tapping away at the keyboard, the picture from the e-mail popped up on all the large monitors. Lois didn't need to look to see the other's reactions. She felt it. Stunned silence.

"Oh my God." Chloe murmured.

"Chloe…" Clark's voice carried a hint of warning and Chloe immediately switched the picture to something else, throwing Lois a sheepish smile.

"Sorry."

Lois closed her eyes, she didn't need to see it again. It was imprinted on her mind. That fact that someone as strong and tough as her father could be reduced the broken man on screen made Lois' blood boil.

"And nothing else has been heard? I mean like a ransom demand or something?" Oliver asked, stepping forward to sit down opposite Clark and Lois.

"No, nothing. It's like he just vanished."

"It all seems a bit random don't you think? I mean why would anyone want to kidnap uncle Sam? Had he been on any missions lately?" Chloe asked.

"Not that I know of. But you know my father, he wouldn't tell me even if he was allowed to." Lois said sadly. Clark rubbed up and down her arm gently.

"Besides, we don't even know if he's still alive."

"Lo, don't think like that." Clark said softly.

"I have to Clark. It's reality. He may be dead, he may not. I have to face that." She replied, her face set in grim determination. Clark looked like he wanted to argue that point but Chloe beat him to it.

"Clark's right Lois. You can't think that way. We will find him. It's just going to take me a little while to trace this that's all."

"Are you even sure you can? I mean whoever took him has obviously gone to a lot of trouble to cover their tracks."

"Hey," Clark touched her cheek turned her head to face him. He spoke so softly it almost made her cry. "We will find him Lo."

She nodded and offered a brief smile but inside she knew that she would be extremely naïve to think that her father could come out of this alive. He had already been beaten badly and she honestly didn't know how much more a man of his age could take.

Suddenly feeling a little crowded, Lois got up. "I need to get some air." She leaned down and kissed Clark on the lips and then left before he could say anything.

She felt the cool breeze refresh her skin as she stepped out onto the pavement. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the wall.

"Are you okay?" She jumped a little at the sound of Lana's voice from the doorway.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question? You're the one with no memory." One side of Lois' mouth curve up into a half smile.

"I'm fine. I think. It's just really frustrating."

"Oh crap…I'm sorry you probably don't even know who I am. I'm Lois, Lois Lane." Lana chuckled a little and nodded.

"I know, you're Chloe's cousin. Wait did you say Lane?" Lois nodded. "I've heard that name somewhere before." Lois stiffened a little and eyed Lana cautiously.

"Where?" Lana frowned, her face set in deep concentration. After a few moments she looked up.

"I'm sorry Lois, I don't really remember. Maybe I heard it somewhere or maybe I'm starting to remember more of my past." She said, a little hopefully. Feeling a little dejected, Lois leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes again.

"It's okay Lana. Don't worry about it."

"I'm sure Clark will find him Lois, he always finds people." Lois let out a sigh.

Something about the sweet, hopeful way Lana was talking was rubbing her up the wrong way. It was very clear that she held Clark up on some kind of pedestal and Lois wondered if that was how she treated him when they had been together.

That would be impossible for anyone to live up to and Clark deserved someone who wouldn't put that kind of pressure on him. Sure he was special, but he was still Smallville to Lois. That was who she fell in love with and that was who he would always be.

"Lana I don't mean to be rude but would you mind if I had a few minutes alone?" She turned her head and saw Lana's smile fade. "I'm sorry, I just need some time to think." Lana eventually nodded and went back inside, leaving Lois alone to her thoughts.

"How is she?" Oliver asked as Lana re-entered the room a few minutes later. Clark was still a little wary of the situation. He'd sensed Lois' mood darken further when they'd arrived and Lana had hugged him. Having her here was definitely not helping Lois.

But Clark couldn't turn his back on Lana either. She needed help too. Even though Lana didn't have a memory, she wasn't in any immediate danger. His first priority was Lois. She'd already lost her mother, he would do everything in his power to protect her from losing her father too. He knew that pain all too well and he didn't want her to have to go through that again.

"I don't know. I mean I don't know her but I think she's closing herself off. She asked me to leave her alone for a few minutes." Lana took a seat next to Clark and leaned her body towards him.

He was a little uncomfortable with that, but he understood that she needed to feel close to the only person she could remember. He smiled briefly at her before turning his attention to the outer wall. Looking through it he saw Lois talking on her phone to someone. She didn't look upset, well anymore than she already was, so he guessed it couldn't be bad news.

"I hate to interrupt this but we do have something else that's important Clark."  
Oliver's voice snapped his attention back to the room.

"What is it?" Clark asked, with a sigh that indicated he didn't really want to hear it.

"Well those e-mails that Tess claims to have gotten from Lex…" Chloe started.

"Claims?" Clark raised an inquisitive brow.

"Yeah well the thing is they're not from Lex. At least we don't think so. I've managed to trace them to a place just outside of Metropolis. We were hoping that you would go and check it out."

"Why didn't you just do it already?" Clark asked, looking over to Oliver.

The furtive glance Oliver sent Chloe didn't go unnoticed and only served to increase Clark's suspicions that his two friends were hiding something from him. "How can you be sure that it's not Lex? I mean someone has to know what happened to Lana. And I'm betting that this is connected somehow. How on earth did they get rid of that power suit? That's what I wanna know. We were told it was impossible." He said, remembering that day all too well.

But looking at Lana now, and remembering the way she had left, he was surprised to find that it didn't hurt as much as it used to. He guessed it was because he'd finally been able to let go and move on. He just wished that Lana had been allowed to do the same. Now here she was, dragged back into his life and the mess she was currently in.

"We can't be sure that it isn't Lex, Clark. Which is why we need you to check it out. We need someone who can check it out without being detected. You know, someone who can move really fast?" Oliver said again with a guarded look.

"Okay, give me the address I'll check it out later." Chloe scribbled the address down just as Lois walked back in and sat down on the other side of Clark.

"Everything okay?" He asked, unconsciously turning away from Lana and leaning closer to Lois. She nodded, a small smile appearing. He'd missed that smile.

"Yeah, Tess just called me. She wants us back at work first thing tomorrow morning. She's running my red-blue-blur article on the front page tomorrow."

"That's great Lo." Clark grinned. Lois, however, didn't look so convinced. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah I guess so. She wants me to go in for a meeting in about an hour. Said she wants to talk to me."

Clark frowned at that, he wasn't sure that he trusted Tess. He wanted to but she was running Lex's company and he'd seen first hand how devious she could be. She'd been dropping enough hints for him to question how much she really knew about him.

Lois' article had probably peaked her interest even further. She'd already seen enough events happen that surrounded Clark. And he was a little sceptical of her excuse of the explosion on the plane they'd been on a few weeks earlier.

He was suddenly very concerned that, by having Lois write his story, he'd exposed her to Tess' scrutiny. She was already suspicious of Lois since the Faora incident. He'd have to keep a closer eye on Tess from now on.

"She only wants to see you?" He asked.

"Yeah, I guess it'll be my slap on the wrist for getting myself arrested and putting the paper in a bad light. No big deal." She watched him for a moment. "Don't worry so much Smallville. I'm not made of glass you know. I'm fine really."

"I got it!" Lana yelled out, making everyone in the room jump. She had been sitting in silence since she had returned from checking on Lois "That's how I remember the name. When I was being led out of the hospital I heard someone talking about a General Lane. I just thought he was part of the staff but I definitely heard him being mentioned." Clark whirled around to face her.

"Lana, this is very important, do you remember anything about that hospital? Anything at all?"

"No, I'm sorry I don't. I was asleep in the car on the way to Metropolis so I couldn't tell you where it is." She paused, a deep frown wrinkling her brow. "Although there is one thing I remember. It was quite a dark place. I remember thinking. where are all the nurses and other doctors? I only saw one. But I was told of others. It didn't look like a very big place from the outside."

Clark heard Lois sigh and felt his own frustration grow. This was getting them nowhere. "It's okay Lana. Just keep trying," He said, covering her hand with his. Lois quickly got up and walked over to Chloe.

"Chloe, any luck with that e-mail?"

"I'm working on it Lois but I have to warn you that it could take days. Like you said, whoever sent this was very good at covering their tracks."

"We don't have days Chloe."

"I know Lois but I'm doing the best that I can." Chloe said softly. Lois nodded and checked her watch.

"Well I guess I should go and get ready for my meeting with Tess." She said.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Clark asked as he stood. Lois put her hands on his chest and smiled.

"I'm a big girl Smallville, I don't need you to hold my hand. But thank you." She kissed him softly on the lips and just as she was about to pull back, Clark grabbed her waist and held her there, kissing her in front of everyone.

It wasn't something that Clark would normally do, usually he kept his private life just that. Private. But with Lois it was all different. He didn't care what anyone else thought. He let her go, his arm stretching out and their hands breaking apart at the last possible minute and watched her leave.

Turning back to the three faces that were watching him in surprise, he smirked and sat back down. Chloe cleared her throat and shuffled through some papers, avoiding his eyes and he remembered that he needed to have a talk with her.

"I guess now's as good a time as any to check out that place huh Clark?" Oliver said, grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

Lois sat in the corridor outside Tess' office feeling like a school kid who'd been sent to the principal's office. She'd been waiting for over fifteen minutes despite the fact that she'd turned up early. After a quick shower and change back at her apartment, Lois had tried to make herself look presentable.

But she knew that the effects of the last few days were slowly taking their toll. She probably wouldn't have slept at all last night if it hadn't been for the fact that she was lying in Clark's arms. Suddenly the door to Tess' office opened and her assistant stepped out, looking down her nose at Lois.

"Ms Mercer will see you now." She said in an abrupt tone. Lois got to her feet and walked into the office, biting her tongue as she stepped past the assistant who closed the door behind her, leaving Lois and Tess alone.

"Lois, come on in. Take a seat." Tess said from her right, going through a drawer in her filing cabinet. Lois sat down and crossed one leg over the other.

"Now, you probably know why I wanted to see you today." Tess began, taking a seat behind her desk. Lois found herself wishing that Tess would just look at her. It was very unnerving not being able to see the other woman's eyes.

"Kind of." Lois replied. She caught the little smirk Tess gave to the papers she was looking at.

"Well after receiving your article, I have to admit that I underestimated you Lane. Who would've thought you could bring in such a story?" She said and Lois didn't miss the hint of disdain in her voice.

"Um thanks?"

"Now I've decided that you and Clark can have your jobs back but it doesn't mean that you are getting off the hook that easily Lois. What you did could've had serious repercussions for the Daily Planet."

Lois pressed her lips together and nodded thoughtfully. "What about letting a guy who attacked me run free? What about the fact that all I did was stand up for myself and I got punished for it? Is that fair to you?"

"You're personal life is none of my concern Lois." Tess said flatly, finally glancing up at her and Lois could see the amusement of this situation in her eyes. She was enjoying having Lois on a hook and making no secret about it either.

"Look, I know I screwed up. But whether you like me or not, you have to at least admit that I'm good at my job."

"Yes." Tess conceded. "You are Lois. And that is your only saving grace right now. Because it certainly isn't your attitude." Tess cast her a disapproving glare to which Lois only raised her eyebrows. She wanted her job back more than anything but she wasn't about to beg for it. She had a feeling that someone like Tess Mercer would find that extremely amusing.

"So, about your article. The Red-Blue-Blur." She said, stating each word with careful consideration. "How on earth did you pull this one out Lois? Did you meet him?"

"No I uh…well…sort of. I talked to him on the phone. He called me." Lois lied. Thinking on her feet was usually one of her strong suits and was what made her good at her job but today she was struggling.

"He called you? So you're telling me that you wrote a story about a super powered being from a planet called Krypton, who has all these wonderful abilities and helps people, and you got it from a phone call. How do you know it wasn't an impostor?"

"Because he sped by and dropped a newspaper at my feet as I was talking to him. It hadn't been there two seconds before so I knew it was him." Lois inwardly cringed at her lame excuse but it was the best that she could come up with on short notice.

"I see. And what does Clark think about all this?" Lois frowned, why was she bringing Clark into this?

"What does Clark have to do with anything?"

"I have eyes in my head Lois. You think I don't know what goes on in my own bullpen? I know that you and Clark have grown…closer in the last few weeks." She said, her eyes glinting, which made Lois wonder if she knew more than she was letting on. Surely she wouldn't have had her and Clark spied on?

"No offence Ms Mercer but as you said, my personal life is none of your concern. And besides, what I do in my own time is my business." For a moment Tess was silent. Then she nodded.

"Indeed. Well anyway, I'll be running the article tomorrow. Your new assignment is to find out everything you can about who exactly this guy is. Details of his origin are all well and good but I want to know who he really is. He must have a name, a life he leads in secret. Find out everything you can." She said, returning her attention to her paperwork, effectively dismissing Lois. She got up and walked to the door.

"Oh and Lois?"

Lois turned back, half in and half out of the doorway. "Yeah?"

"Don't be late." She replied, without looking up.

Lois closed the door and headed for the stairs with a sinking feeling in her gut. Now she had to find out who he was? How was she supposed to do that? There was no way she would ever tell Tess that it was Clark. So how exactly was she going to be able to get out of this?

* * *

Clark sped around the building twice, surveying the layout. He stopped out of sight for a second and used his x-ray vision to determine if anyone was in the seemingly abandoned house. When he found that it was empty, he quietly crept forward, the doors were all locked but he found an open window towards the back of the house.

Barely able to fit, he managed to squeeze himself in. Inside was a mess, cardboard pizza boxes and empty soda cans discarded everywhere led him to believe that whoever was hiding out here wasn't a resident. He crossed what he thought was the living room, ears on the alert for anyone who might come in, and stopped when he reached the front room. It was fairly dark in there due to the curtains being closed.

He didn't touch anything, he didn't want to leave any traces that he had been here. Clearly this establishment was not the kind that Lex Luthor would be hiding out in. Chloe had checked and the house wasn't registered to anyone, it was as it appeared to be. Abandoned.

He went upstairs, into one of the bedrooms and paused in the doorway. It wasn't much lighter in this room, there were no curtains, but outside the window stood a large willow tree, it's leafy branches blocking out most of the daylight. This place gave him the creeps, it wasn't exactly in a well built area. Far off the road and out of sight, it was perfect for hiding someone.

In the far left corner of the room there was a complex looking computer hooked up to two monitors. In this place it stuck out like a sore thumb. Moving over to the computer, he briefly wondered how this person was paying the electricity bill in order to run this kind of equipment but dismissed it as he began clicking away at the keyboard. His attempts at breaking through the numerous layers of security were unsuccessful.

His hearing picked up footsteps outside. Realising that he needed to get out of there and fast, Clark grabbed the external hard drive and hoped that would be enough for Chloe to work with.

As the footsteps got closer, Clark exited the house the way he had come in and raced around the corner. Fairly certain that he was out of sight, Clark focussed his hearing on the dark figure entering the house. He was talking to someone on the phone.

"Yes I'm sure. She's in position. Don't worry, he's been taken care of too."

"Excellent. I'll be in touch." The man then hung up and made his way upstairs. Clark registered the man's shouts as he began his run back to Metropolis.


	16. Chapter 15

**_Chapter Fifteen_**

Clark sat in Tess' office the next morning, waiting for her to return from an urgent phone call and feeling a little anxious. Lois had told him what she'd said to her yesterday and he couldn't help but feel that there was a hidden agenda behind today's summons.

He was concerned about the fact that Tess had ordered Lois to find out the red-blue-blur's identity. His identity. He knew Lois wouldn't give that information up but he feared that he'd put her in danger simply by being with him. The fact that they were still no closer to figuring out who had taken Lois' father or what had happened to Lana did little to ease his frustration.

The hard drive that he'd stolen had been encrypted, Chloe said that she would call him as soon as she got anything off it. Lana hadn't been able to remember anything else about the hospital she was held in, and Chloe couldn't trace it. So for now it was back to the waiting game.

After leaving Isis, Clark had taken Lois back to her apartment and spent the night with her. Oliver was visiting Kara at the farm and he wanted to give them a little privacy to make amends for being so hard on them before. And also because he wanted to be alone with Lois.

She had been fine during dinner, talkative and even dishing out some of her usual banter. But after they had curled up on the sofa together, he'd noticed her eyes beginning to droop. He'd carried her to bed and gathered her close to him. As he lay with her, it struck him how vulnerable the woman in his arms could be.

He'd always known her to be strong, independent but he guessed that this was too much for even Lois Lane to handle and he felt an overwhelming need to shield her from all the hurt and pain she was going through. She'd slept peacefully enough, though her grip on him had never loosened. It was as if she was afraid to let go of him, fearing he might disappear and she would wake up alone.

He didn't sleep at all last night. His mind was too busy going through everything that had happened in the last few days. Having Lana back in his life just as he was figuring out the depths of his feelings for Lois definitely felt strange. But he had never been more sure of anything in his life. Lois was the one he wanted and needed.

He knew that somehow, Lana's reappearance and memory loss were in some way connected to the people who had Lois' father. He just didn't know how. And he knew that the clock was ticking. He could feel it, like a heavy mist hanging over his head. He was getting very afraid that they wouldn't find the General in time.

"Clark. Welcome back." Tess said pleasantly as she entered the room, though he sensed that the phone call she'd received hadn't been good news, he could see the anger in her eyes. He stood up and straightened his tie. As soon as he'd arrived at work this morning with Lois, he had been called up here.

"Oh please, sit." She said as she sat down behind her desk. She clasped her hands together on her lap and watched him for a moment.

Feeling a little uncomfortable under her intense gaze, he cleared his throat. "You uh, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes I did." She said slowly, mulling over her words before speaking. "I wanted to see how you were actually. I may have over reacted a little last week. Suspending you, I mean."

"Well, I don't really know what you want me to say Ms Mercer…"

"Tess."

"I don't know what you want me to say," He started again, but ignoring her request to use her first name he said. "But I'm not going to apologise for defending my…friend."

"I see. You think I treated her unfairly?" Tess, asked, swinging from side to side in her chair, looking at him with some amusement.

"Yes I do. That night was hard enough for her, she was almost attacked. I just didn't think it was right to punish her for something that wasn't her fault. I understand you had to do your job but Lois deserved better treatment, in my opinion of course." He said, letting out a breath when he'd finished.

"Wow, been rehearsing that speech long Clark?" Tess chuckled. "Oh all right I'll admit it was a little… crass of me to suspend her but I stand by my decision. Besides, in true Lois fashion, it looks like she's back with a bang. And with the story of the decade. Did you know she actually met the red-blue-blur?"

"She did huh?" Clark asked, eyebrows raised, his expression carefully guarded. He didn't know what kind of game Tess was playing but he was curious to see where this would lead.

"Yeah I had her in yesterday to determine that I wasn't going to run a story that wasn't based on any facts. When I asked her if she was sure that it was him, she said yes and that she'd met him." Tess' steely gaze held his. "Face to face."

"Really?" He asked, feigning innocence. She was lying right to his face. He knew the truth but he wasn't about to tell her that. She was testing him, he realised. "Did she talk to him?"

"She said she did. I must say I'm impressed."

"So if she met him, how does she not already know who he is?"

"That's what I would like to find out." Tess replied, more to herself than to Clark. She shook herself out of her thoughts and said. "Well, all I can say is she's one lucky girl. I mean one minute she's facing possible termination of her employment here and the next she comes back with this amazing story about an alien with special abilities."

Her voice was gently teasing but subtly so. If he hadn't already been suspicious of what she knew about him, he wouldn't have picked up on it.

Choosing his words carefully, he said. "Well Lois has always had a knack for finding good stories."

Tess looked thoughtful for a moment then nodded. "She has hasn't she? I guess if you stick your nose in other people's business long enough, its bound to pay off eventually."

Ignoring her barb, for he knew it was intended to rankle him, he sighed. "Well I thought that was what good investigative journalism was all about. But then again, what do I know? Being just a 'copy boy' and all." He said with a slight smirk, throwing her own words back at her.

She chuckled again, but her voice held no humour. She leaned forward and placed her elbows on the desk. Fixing him with a deep intense stare, she smiled.

"Clark, you can trust me you know? Whatever it is that you're hiding, I understand you're reasons for being cautious. I know that Lex betrayed you, I won't make that same mistake."

"Ms Mercer…we've been over this already. I don't know what you're talking about. Lex had a lot of convoluted theories about me, none of which were true." Tess pressed her lips together, a sign that Clark had come to realise, meant she was getting annoyed.

"Really, what you see is what you get."

"You are so much more than a farm boy, or a cub reporter Clark. I see it in you. I see that you are destined for something far beyond this world."

"Have you heard yourself, you're starting to sound like Lex." He let out a short burst of laughter but held it in when she eyed him warily.

"Lex wasn't stupid Clark. Maniacal maybe, but never stupid. I'm just trying to let you know that I am in no way like Lex Luthor. You _can_ trust me. I just want to help you along your way, that's all."

"Ms Mercer…" He began, catching her sigh as he still refused to use her first name. He didn't think it was appropriate to be on a first name basis with his boss.

"I just want to do my job, that's it. Trust _me_ there's nothing more to me than that." For a long time she just sat there, watching him with a disbelieving expression.

"Okay Clark, if you say so." She said, her words, clipped and angry. "I want you to help Lane out with this next assignment,"

"The red-blue-blur?" He was surprised. If Tess really thought he was the blur, why was she giving him an assignment to help Lois find out his identity? Maybe she was just testing him. That or she was cutting him some slack for now, confident in the knowledge that he would hang himself with it sooner or later. He would have to be extra careful not to slip up around her from now on.

Tess nodded. "I think it's time for you to step up to the big leagues Clark. Unless you have a problem with that?" She said, raising one eyebrow mockingly at him.

"No, no problem." He replied.

"Good, besides, if you really have nothing to hide, it shouldn't be a problem for you should it?"

"I guess not." He replied, holding his head high, though he had a nagging feeling that Tess was up to something.

"Great, well time to get to work Kent." Clark nodded, stood and walked out of the room. Tess smiled, watching as the door closed behind him.

"Your time is coming sooner than you think Kal-El."

Clark returned to his desk a few minutes later, smiling as he leaned down to kiss Lois on the cheek but she pulled away. He frowned, and she offered him a small smile whilst looking around to see if anyone had noticed.

"Not at work Smallville." She said but he could've sworn he saw something flash in her eyes. "How did your meeting go?"

"Uh it was okay. She just wanted to talk to me about my new assignment," He sat down at his desk.

"Which is?"

"To help you find out the blur's identity." He said flatly, she frowned and walked over to his desk, perching herself on the edge as she always did.

"Why would she give you that? Do you think she knows?" Lois looked worried, so he smiled sweetly and winked.

"I don't know Lois, I guess we'll find out soon if she does. There's no point worrying about it till then."

Lois wasn't convinced. She nervously worried her bottom lip and Clark felt a sudden urge to cover her mouth with his. But she was right. Work was definitely not the place for those kind of thoughts.

"Are you okay Lois?" He asked after she still hadn't said anything.

"I uh…" She looked at him, a sudden sadness in her eyes that alarmed him. Then she shook her head and smiled, though he could clearly see it was false. "I'm fine." She got up and returned to her desk, avoiding his gaze.

"Well we need to think of something to tell Tess about this. I don't think she's going to let it drop Lo." He said, noticing that she wasn't really paying attention. She seemed to be distracted by something on her monitor.

"Lois?" She didn't look up. "Lois!"

"Hmm?" She said, without taking her eyes off the screen. He tried to read her expression but there was nothing to read, it was blank. Almost void of emotion and that worried him.

"Lois look at me." Her eyes very briefly flashed up to his but then returned to her monitor. He grabbed her hand and, ignoring her startled cry, led her into the empty storage room across the hall. As he closed the door, she yanked her hand out of his grasp.

"Lois what's going on?" He asked, as she folded her arms across her chest, almost as a barrier between them.

"Nothing." She said, a little too quickly for his liking.

"Did you get another e-mail?" Something clearly wasn't right here and she was pulling away from him. He could feel the resistance coming off her in waves.

"No. I just want to get on with my work that's all and you distracting me isn't going to help." Clark narrowed his eyes and stared deep into hers. Something had changed and he had a feeling that it wasn't for the better.

"Lois…"

"Clark, just leave it okay? I said I'm fine. Drop it." She said shortly, stepping past him to get to the door. But he was too quick for her and was standing right in front of her before she could even blink.

"Lois, what's gotten into you?" He asked, grabbing her shoulders to stop her from pulling back.

"I just can't take all this…" She said, gesturing between them. "Fussing. I need some space Clark, now let me go."

"What do you mean you need space? Lois I don't understand…" He was deeply confused. The expression on her face told him nothing, she was being very careful to keep her feelings hidden. Instead she wore a look of impatience and it unnerved him.

"Let me go."

"No, not until you tell me why you suddenly need space from me. I don't get it, we were fine last night and this morning. What's changed?"

"A lot Clark. I just…I can't stand you being all clingy and overbearing." Clark pressed his lips together, confusion now quickly turning to anger.

"Clingy? Overbearing? Is that how you see me? I was just trying to be a good friend and be there for you Lois. I realise that this is a hard time for you but don't shut me out."

"I'm not trying to Clark. I just need some time on my own. Time to think things through and sort my head out. I can't do that with you around me all the time." She said, and even though she'd said it a little softer, it still hurt him to hear it.

"Let's face it Clark. So much has happened in the past few days, I can't even be sure that what I'm feeling is real. I don't want to hurt you but I don't want to lie to you either."

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked, a uneasy feeling working its way into his stomach.

She took in a deep breath. "I just…maybe it was the whole hero thing….I don't know." Her head bowed, eyes refusing to look at him, Clark felt as if someone had just kicked him in the chest.

"Lois I want you to look at me." She was holding herself rigid in his grasp. "Look at me and tell me you don't love me!" He yelled. Slowly, she raised her head, sadness in her eyes, he gasped.

"I thought I did but…I don't love you Clark. I'm sorry." She whispered.

"You don't mean that." He said quietly, searching her face.

"I'm sorry Clark. Please just let me go." She asked, her tone almost pleading.

Clark felt sick to his stomach. He had never thought that Lois would or could be saying these things to him. After everything that had happened between them, he was willing to concede that it had all happened so quickly but his feelings had never been so strong.

And now she was saying it was over and he didn't know what to do. He caught a brief glimpse of a tear rolling down her cheek and for a moment, his anger disappeared.  
He reluctantly let go of her shoulders and she stepped back. But she still didn't look at him.

"Is this what you really want?" He asked, closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall.

He didn't really expect her to answer. He knew Lois well enough to know that once she had made up her mind there was no changing it. But this was so out of the blue. A complete turnaround to everything she had said recently. He wondered what had happened to make her change her mind about him. Was it Lana? No, they were stronger than that, she knew his feelings had changed for Lana. So what was it?

He didn't open his eyes as she opened the door, hesitated and then walked out. He rubbed his face with his hands, angry, hurt and confused. In the space of a week, after finally admitting how he felt, he had never felt closer to anyone than he had to Lois. It was like she was the other half of him, she had crept under his skin and he had only just figured it out.

But now it was all crashing down around him and he felt…lost. He hoped that he was wrong, that she was only acting this way because of all the stress she was currently under. But he had a sinking feeling that she meant what she said. Maybe she _had _only thought she was in love with him, what was it she'd said? Because of the hero thing? He didn't believe that for a second, Lois wasn't shallow. He was torn from his thoughts as his cell phone began ringing.

"Hello?" He answered, his voice hoarse.

"Clark, I need you to get over to Isis right away. Is Lois with you?" Clark flinched, his face grim.

"No she just left. Is it urgent?"

"Yes, I'll see you in a few?" She asked.

"Okay." He hung up and left the storage room.

There was no sign of Lois as he returned to his desk to collect his jacket. He hoped she was okay. What she had just told him didn't affect how he felt about her, and how he wished he could make everything okay for her.

But she obviously wasn't going to give him the chance to do that. She'd had to deal with things on her own from an early age and it looked as if that was what she was going to do now. He sighed and walked out of the building with a heavy heart.

* * *

Lois drove out of the city, anger burning within her. She wanted to pound on something, or someone. She couldn't get Clark's face out her mind. The confusion and hurt in his eyes was too much for her to bear. But she had no choice.

Sitting at her desk, waiting for Clark to return earlier, she had received another e-mail. This time featuring a picture of her father in a much worse state than the previous. Only this time it came with a set of instructions. She was given the location of her father, but she was to come alone and tell no one she had even been contacted. She was told to cut Kal-El out of the picture completely. Her defences went up at the mention of his Kryptonian name, she had the feeling that this was about more than just her or her father and for the first time, she felt as if she was a pawn in a much bigger game plan.

She knew that these people would do what they were threatening. They had told her if they got even the slightest hint that Clark or anyone else knew of her whereabouts, her father would be dead within the hour.

She knew Clark, he would never let her do this alone and she couldn't risk it. So she had to do the only thing she could think of, let him go. She knew she had hurt him, she just hoped that once this was over, he would forgive her.

She drove for what seemed like an eternity, but was really only about half an hour. She parked up at the side of the road, looking at the building ahead of her. It was a fairly small place, but standing tall it blocked the sun that was shining down behind it, casting a shadow that seemed to reach out for her.

It looked very clean, sterile even. Almost like a small hospital. She got out of her car and stuck the taser she had grabbed before leaving, into her jacket pocket. It wasn't her ideal choice of weapon or the most effective, but she had to improvise. Besides, they might be watching her.

She started walking towards the building, fully aware that she was walking blindly into a trap. But she had to save her father, if she could.

She entered the building, which seemed eerily deserted, and walked down the long darkly lit hallway. Her hand gripping the taser tightly inside her pocket, she turned a corner and came to a stop.

At the end of the hall there were two doors, one to her left and one to her right. Neither had windows so she couldn't see what was behind them. Taking a chance, she stepped inside the door on her right. Her father sat there in the centre of the room, head hanging, blood dripping from his nose and mouth.

"Daddy!" Her heart clenched as she ran over to him and tried to loosen his ropes. His breathing was heavy and laboured, he needed medical attention and fast.

"Lois." He whispered, his head still bowed. She leaned closer, putting her ear close to his mouth.

"I'm here daddy, I'm gonna get you out of here."

"Lois, get out." He panted. "Trap…not safe…go…"

"No I'm not leaving…" She didn't have time to finish her sentence.

Two large hands grabbed her arms and yanked her back painfully. She struggled but his grip never loosened. She stamped on his foot, causing him to momentarily let go then she grabbed his arm and flipped him over. As he landed on the floor, she kicked out hard and her foot connected with his head. Satisfied that he was out for the count, Lois returned to her father. He was fading.

"Just hold on, I'm gonna get us out of here." She barely registered the sharp stinging sensation in her neck before everything started to blur.

"Lois!" Her father's voice reached her ears but it sounded distorted, as if it were miles away. She stumbled back a few feet, landed on the ground with a thud and her world went black.


	17. Chapter 16

**_Chapter Sixteen_**

Clark sat with Chloe going through all the files she had managed to pull off the hard drive. He was fuming. Not only because of Lois, but also because of what Chloe had been able to find out.

He couldn't erase the images from his mind. Chloe had found quite a few files with pictures of him and Lois. They had been spied on. Someone had been following them around, taking pictures and he'd never once picked up on it.

Seeing Lois in the pictures, one of which was their first date, she looked…happy being in his arms and he felt a sharp pain shoot through his abdomen and up into his chest. He missed her already. But as he'd looked through them, his anger became evident as he gripped the sides of his chair and bent the steel frames into the shape of his hands.

How could she just easily dismiss what they had? How could she stand there and tell him that she didn't love him? In all the times he had broken up with Lana, he'd felt the pain, but it hadn't been to this degree. She had set up residence inside his heart and he knew that she would never leave. But where did that leave him now?

"Clark, are you all right?" Chloe asked, jerking him out of his thoughts. She had been busily tapping away at her keyboard but stopped to watch him for a moment.

"Yeah." He replied without looking at her. "What else is there?"

"Well, this is the reason I left Lana at the Talon. This guy…" She brought up a picture on the monitor. "He was found dead in his apartment this morning. A gunshot wound to the head." Clark looked up at her. "His face matches the description of the doctor that Lana gave me." Chloe paused, letting that information sink in.

"Who is he?" Clark asked, his attention focussed solely on the monitor.

"His name was Doctor Walker Philips. He was an expert in the genetics field. He was renowned for some of the most ground breaking discoveries. I can't imagine what he would want with Lana."

"Maybe he was working for someone. Obviously that someone didn't want him talking either." Clark said grimly. "We need to find out what he did to her."

"I did some checking and it seems that he spent the last year or so doing nothing. He wasn't working anywhere. Clark, what if Lex hired him to do something to Lana?"  
Chloe asked, the thought coming out of nowhere.

"I wouldn't put it past him." Clark said with disgust, remembering Lex's voice as he and Lana stood on top of the Daily Planet with a Kryptonite bomb ready to take out half the city.

How had he misjudged Lex so badly? He once thought that they were friends, but he had to admit that even from the beginning of their 'friendship' he had seen a darkness in Lex that he wasn't sure he could be saved from. And evidently, he'd been right.

"There's something else. I found a lot of e-mails to and from this guy, Clark. I don't know who they're from but they talk about a female, which I'm guessing is Lana but also about the General. I guess its safe to say that Lana's current crisis is connected to the people who have Lois' father. Where is Lois?" She asked, frowning.

Clark shifted in his seat. He really didn't want to tell Chloe what had happened. Keeping it to himself, at least for the moment, kept it from becoming real. If he didn't share anything, he could pretend that Lois hadn't really meant what she'd said to him. He could pretend that everything was okay and he would be able to talk her round later.

"What uh…what do the e-mails say exactly?" He asked, changing to a safer subject.

He needed to do something, anything to take his mind off things. Chloe watched him carefully for a moment and then sighed. She handed him a sheet of paper with all the e-mails printed on it. Clark sat studying it for a long time.

The replies reeked of Lex, there was no mistaking his grammar, the way he talked and Clark felt a new surge of anger flare up. After all this time, Lex was still manipulating his life, bringing Lana back and making her suffer after everything he'd put her through.

But it was now clear to Clark that, he was bringing Lois into this too. Maybe she would be better off without him. Everyone he loved always ended up getting hurt in one way or another. Maybe she was right to end things with him. She was the one person he couldn't bear to be hurt by Lex Luthor.

"Can you trace who sent these replies?" Clark asked, putting the sheet down on the table in front of him. He leaned his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands.

"I'm trying Clark. I still can't get a read on who sent that picture of Uncle Sam to Lois. I keep hitting a brick wall. Clark…" She said his name softly and he looked up to see a sympathetic look on her face. "What's wrong? I know this is all a little…well you know…but there's something else isn't there?"

"It's nothing Chloe. Don't worry about it." Chloe sat down beside him and took his hand.

"I know you Clark and I know something else is bothering you. Don't shut me out. Please." Her eyes held a sheen of unshed tears and he suddenly remembered what Lois had told him.

"Chloe, I promise I'm not shutting you out. You're very important to me." For a moment she frowned, confusion marking her features.

"I know you're having a difficult time right now, with Jimmy and I'm sorry to put all this on you but you have to know that if you ever need someone to talk to…I'm here."

"Oh…" She said, hanging her head. "You talked to Lois didn't you?"

"Yeah. She mentioned something that happened. What was that about Chloe?" He asked softly, no hint of reproach in his voice. He didn't want her to think that he was trying to take sides.

"I don't know. I already apologised to her for that. I was way out of line. I guess…" She paused and let out a huge sigh. "I guess I was just feeling that…well now that Lois knows…everything. I guess I was just scared that I'd been replaced." She kept her head turned away, so that he couldn't see her eyes.

"Chloe. That's ridiculous and you know it. I love Lois and yes she is also my best friend. But you…you've been there for me through thick and thin. You're my best friend, the only one I could talk to about anything. Just because things changed between Lois and I doesn't mean I'm going to suddenly forget about you." He squeezed her hand reassuringly and saw her smile.

"Thanks Clark. I'm sorry, I know it was stupid, I guess its all this divorce stuff. I'm just feeling a little out of place right now. Was Lois really upset?"

"I think she was just a little hurt but you know Lois…" His smile faded as he said. "She always bounces back."

"Clark? Did something happen between you two?" He fell silent, mentally arguing with whether he should say anything. But he reasoned that if he didn't say something, Chloe would take it the wrong way.

"She uh…she kind of ended things." He said, his voice quiet.

"What!" Chloe exploded. "What are you…why would she do that?"

"I have no idea. One second we're perfectly fine and everything's good, and the next, she's saying she needs space." He snorted. "She even called me clingy and overbearing."

"Oh Lois." Chloe sighed. "I'm sure she didn't mean…" Clark raised his hand to stop her.

"Chloe…please don't. I don't want to hear that she didn't mean it or she had a good reason. She was adamant enough. She made her decision and I've gotta live with it."

"Can you?" Her question stumped him. Because he honestly didn't know if he could. Not now he knew what it was like to be with her, to be in love with her.

"I don't have a choice." He said in a croaky voice.

"She does love you Clark."

"Then why did she say she didn't?"

"She said that?" Chloe gasped. Clark nodded. "I can't believe…no Clark she wouldn't say that and mean it. I know she loves you."

"Either way it doesn't matter anymore. She needs space and that's what I'm gonna give her." He then offered her a small smile and said. "I'm sorry if you felt that I was replacing you Chlo. I never want you to think that." Chloe smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he drew her in for a hug.

"I know that Clark. It was just me being…well me. Come on, let's get back to work. We need to figure this out and fast."

"I think there's only one way to get the answers we need Chloe." Clark said as he stood up.

"And that would be?"

"I need to pay our little friend another visit." He said, indicating the hard drive.

"Clark…" She started but was cut off by the look of sheer determination on his face. "Be careful." He nodded, squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and sped out of the room, leaving Chloe alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Lois slowly opened her eyes and immediately wished she hadn't when a crushing pain hit her between the eyes. She raised her head and looked around, being careful to shield her eyes until they became accustomed to the light. She was half sitting, half lying up against a damp wall in a fairly small room. It was the same room she had found her father in.

She tried to raise a hand to press to her forehead but found that they were tied together with thick rope. She looked down at her feet, the same. She felt the pockets of her jacket, disheartened to learn that they had taken the taser from her.

Glancing around the room, she discovered her father, still sitting in the centre, still in the chair. He looked so small and helpless and it made Lois angry that he'd been reduced to this. Forgetting her own pain, she quickly shuffled her way over to him, fighting the wave of dizziness that hit her as she moved too fast.

"Daddy." She said, quietly, hoping that whoever had knocked her out wouldn't come back anytime soon. What had they done to her anyway? The last thing she remembered was feeling a sharp stinging pain in her neck and then she'd passed out. They'd obviously drugged her, but why?

"Daddy!" She cried out when he didn't respond. "Please wake up."

"Lois…" He whispered, he couldn't even lift his head to look at her. She stayed crouched on the ground in front of him.

"It's okay. I'm gonna get us…"

"Lois…my boot…" He was gasping for breath and Lois was deathly afraid that she was about to witness him die. No, she would not let that happen, not while she had strength left in her body.

"What about your boot?" She asked, tears quickly building. She blinked them back, crying would do her no good here. She needed to be strong and she needed to get her father out of there.

"Knife…they don't know…in my boot." Lois' eyes drifted down to her father's boots. He was still wearing his army combat trousers and boots but they had relieved him of his jacket. He was wearing only a white vest which was almost covered with blood.

"Which one?"

"Left…" He said, his breath becoming harder and harder to hear.

Lois quickly untied his lace. Inside the opening there was a small pocket which held a small but very sharp knife. She took it out and got to work on her ropes. As soon as she was free, she made her way round to the back and cut the General loose. She had to move quickly to stop him falling out of the chair completely.

She put his arm around her shoulders and made her way to the door. Because there were no windows in the door she had to open it and was delighted to find that it was unlocked. She leaned her father against the wall and peered out.

The corridor seemed to be a lot darker than when she'd arrived and she noticed that several of the bulbs had gone out. Satisfied that there was no one in the immediate vicinity, Lois held her father up again and struggled through the doorway.

"Come on dad, not much further, my car's outside. We have to get you to the hospital."

"I'm sorry…Lo…" He said, his voice so quiet in her ear. She pushed all the fear deep down in her gut and focussed on her anger, she would need that strength to get them both out. The glass doors she entered through earlier beckoned her as she got closer and she felt a smile light up her face.

"Too easy Lo…" The General said as she reached for the door handle. He was getting heavier by the minute but she stopped to assess what he'd just said. She hadn't thought about it, she was running on pure adrenalin. But he was right, this had been too easy. Where was the guy who'd attacked her? Where was the person who'd drugged her?

As if summoned by her thoughts, he appeared behind her, yanking her hair and pulling her back with such force that she landed flat on her back. She heard the whoosh of breath expelled from the General's lungs as he hit the ground with a sickening thud.

"And just where do you think you're going?" He asked, she could see the smirk on his lips through the holes in his ski mask. Two grey eyes stared down at her in amusement.

"I was just popping out to run an errand." She said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. He threw back his head and laughed and then she found herself staring down the barrel of a gun.

"Get up." He commanded. She did as he ordered, slowly, taking a glance at her father who was now unconscious.

"Who are you?"

"You really expect me to answer that Miss Lane? Turn around."

With a bow of her head she did as he said, her heartbeat rising to new levels that she was sure wasn't healthy. She took a few deep breaths and squared her shoulders, then as he grabbed one of her hands, she threw back her elbow and felt the crunch of his nose at it connected.

Not giving him a single second to react, Lois dipped down and kicked out, sweeping the man's legs from underneath him. She was on top of him before he was completely down, grappling with the arm that still held the gun.

"You b***h!" He spat angrily and grabbed a fistful of her hair. She shoved the heel of her palm into his face as the gun went off beside her, the bullet missing her face by barely an inch. As the back of his head connected with the concrete floor, Lois managed to wrestle the gun from his grasp, turning it on him quickly. It took him a few seconds to register that he was no longer holding it.

"Who do you work for?" She asked, pressing the barrel into his cheek as she pulled off the mask to reveal a man who looked to be in his twenties, with brown curly hair and a prominent scar about an inch long above his right eyebrow.

"Screw you." She drew back her fist and punched him hard, ignoring the burning in her knuckles.

"Oh you wish! I said… who do you work for?" Pressing the gun harder against his cheek she saw him wince as he spat the blood out of his mouth. Then the corners curved up and he started laughing.

"I can see why the boss wanted you alive. I've been watching you for quite some time. You're a feisty one." Lois felt his hand creep up and grab her butt. "Mmm, you're boyfriend must really love you. Letting you walk in here alone." He taunted.

She refused to let her thoughts drift to Clark and the look on his face as she had left. She needed to stay focused here. She knew that she should probably call for him, he would be here within seconds, but if this guy was telling the truth, she could be putting Clark at risk. She couldn't take that chance. She would not expose his secret to anyone.

"Who are you working for? Who's your boss?" She shouted, getting angrier by the minute. Did this guy seriously have a death wish? She was sitting on top of him with a gun pointed at his head and he was taking his time to cop a feel?

"Lo…" Her head shot up, looking over at her father. He was still lying on the ground but she could see one of his eyes open and look straight at her. She was running out of time and it was obvious that this creep wasn't going to give her the answers she wanted. So without another word, she raised her hand and brought the gun down hard, rendering him unconscious.

"Jerk." She muttered, kicking him for good measure as she stood up.

She ran over to the General and helped him up, then kicked the doors open and felt the sun beam down on her face. She threw the gun into some nearby bushes and helped her father to her car, her relief palpable as she found it was exactly where she'd left it. After getting him settled, she allowed herself a fleeting thought as she started the engine and headed off in the direction of the hospital. _Clark._

* * *

Out of the shadows in the corridor, the man stood over his unconscious colleague, watching as the woman drove off with her father. Still nursing a broken nose from his earlier encounter with the reporter, he took out his cell phone and dialled.

"You have good news for me." The voice said as soon as it answered. It wasn't a question, it was an statement, daring him to report otherwise.

"They're out."

"Did he come?"

"No…he never showed. She got out on her own." He heard a faint cursing through the line. Obviously that had not been part of his boss' plan.

"Did you at least manage to finish what I asked?" He could hear the impatience in the voice and knew it did not bode well for him or his colleague.

"Yes."

"Good, well at least you managed to do one thing right." He blinked as the line went dead, then pocketed his phone and bent down to help his colleague.


	18. Chapter 17

**_Chapter Seventeen_**

Clark walked into the farmhouse later that evening and dropped down onto the sofa. His day had not gone according to plan. First Lois had broken up with him, second he had been called into Tess' office when he'd returned to see if Lois was there.

She made it very clear that she was unimpressed with Lois already 'flaking' on her first day back. He had tried to defend her but it fell on deaf ears. She made a few references to the blur and his link to him. She definitely knew something and that concerned him. She was playing her cards close to her chest. But her parting statement had been one of support. That she would always be there if he needed her, whatever might happen in the future.

Third, he had tried to find the man who he had seen entering the house he had stolen the hard drive from, but discovered that he had disappeared. All the computer equipment was gone and the place was back to what he assumed it had been before. Abandoned. He felt like he was back to square one with no place to start.

"Clark?" Kara's voice drifted in from the kitchen and he turned to see her standing at the foot of the stairs.

"Kara. You look great." He said with a tired smile.

Kara beamed at him as she did a little twirl and he was happy that she was embracing life on Earth. Her ankle length, dark blue dress suited her and really brought out the blue of her eyes. Her blonde hair fell in long curls around her face and shoulders. She had a date with Oliver tonight and judging from the look on her face, she was very excited about it too.

Maybe this meant she would stick around. He didn't want her to give up looking for Kandor because he knew that was important to her but he loved having her here. She had come a long way from the girl he had found at the dam almost two years ago.

"Thank you. It's not too much is it? I don't know what the proper etiquette is for a second date."

Clark shook his head and smiled. "No Kara, you look wonderful. As for etiquette? Well I'm not exactly the best person to ask. Just be yourself and enjoy your evening. Have a great time."

Kara returned his smile and tilted her head to study him for a moment. "Is everything okay Clark?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. What time is Oliver picking you up?"

"Uh…" Kara looked down at the delicate silver watch that adorned her wrist "In about ten minutes. He's taking me to dinner but he won't tell me where." She said, sounding intrigued but annoyed at the same time.

"Yeah well Oliver likes to pull out all the stops." He replied, a hint of bitterness in his tone.

"Clark, please don't start that again. I thought you were okay with this."

"I am, I'm just looking out for you that's all." He walked over to the refrigerator and poured himself a glass of orange juice.

Kara smirked at him. "Not that I don't appreciate it little cousin, but like I said before, I can take care of myself. I'm a big girl."

"You sound like Lois." He said, frowning as Lois' last words reverberated through his head. _I don't love you._ He took in a deep breath to ease the sudden tightening in his chest.

"Is that a bad thing?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

"Doesn't it bother you that Oliver and Lois used to date?" He asked, ignoring her question. She pondered the subject for a moment.

"No, why should it? Everyone has a past Clark. Does it bother you?"

"Not really but…" He paused, not entirely sure where he was going with that thought.

"But?"

"I don't know, I just…"

"Clark, don't you think that Lois feels the same way about you and Lana? And it's worse for her because Lana is now dependant on you to help her. From what Oliver has told me, they have each moved on and are friends now."

"I know that Kara." But still he frowned, twice now Clark had let Lois down, both times being when Lana had returned, and twice it was Oliver who had been there to pick up the pieces. He felt a little resentment towards him for that. It should've been Clark that was there for her, but as usual he'd screwed it up. He couldn't really blame Oliver for that and he was grateful that Lois at least had someone she could go to. But it still didn't make him feel any better about it.

"I'm sorry, just ignore me. Go, have a good time." He said, offering her a smile. She narrowed her eyes and watched him.

"Okay. I'll see you later." She patted him on the shoulder as she made her way past him to the door.

"Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sure whatever is wrong, you and Lois will work it out. I've never seen you so happy before. She's the one for you." She gave him a reassuring smile and closed the door behind her.

Despite his inner turmoil, Clark felt a grin light up his face. Kara was right. Lois was definitely the one for him. Now if only he could get her to see that too. He had been foolish to just let her walk out on him earlier. He would give her the space she wanted, but he wasn't going to give up on her. He took his phone out of his pocket, intending to call Lois but it started ringing before he could even dial.

"Hey Chloe, what's up?"

"Clark have you seen Lois?" Chloe asked, her tone urgent.

"No I haven't seen her all day. Why what's wrong?"

"Well she called me and told me to get down to Met Gen, she found her father Clark…"

"What?" Clark slammed his glass down on the counter, causing orange juice to splash up at him.

"I don't know how Clark, she just called me and told me to get here but when I arrived, she asked me to stay with him and just took off. I can't get hold of her and I don't want to leave in case something happens with Uncle Sam. He's in the ICU and they aren't saying anything. Can you go check her apartment?"

"Yeah sure. I'm on my way. I'll call you when I find her." Clark hung up and sped out of the door, heading towards Metropolis

He knocked on the door of her apartment less than five minutes later. There was no answer. He tried her cell phone, and a ringing sound emerged from within the apartment.

"Lois?" He called out, pocketing his phone. Still no answer. "Lois I know you're in there, open the door." Silence.

He stepped back and focused on the door, he hated invading her privacy but he was worried about her. He didn't see her in the living room, the kitchen or the bedroom. Glancing left, there he saw her. Leaning on the wall of her balcony overlooking the city. He knocked again, harder this time.

"Lois…please…open the door." He said, his voice softer. "I'm not leaving until you do."

He watched her glance towards the door, saw her argue with herself as to whether or not she should let him in. Eventually he saw her walk across the room and then he heard the click of the lock. The door opened a little and he stepped inside to see her already walking back out onto the balcony. He stopped at the doorway, watching her back.

"Chloe called you." She said quietly, without turning around.

"Yes. She was worried about you. Lois…" He slowly walked forward and came to a stop at her side. "What happened? How did you find him?" She was silent for a long time, just staring out over the city. Then, in a quiet voice, she spoke.

"I got an e-mail this morning. It had another picture in it. It was worse than the last one." She paused, obviously waiting for him to say something. He was a little angry that she had lied to him when he had asked her if she'd received another one. When no response came, she carried on.

"It told me where to find him. I had to go there alone."

Clark erupted. "How could you be so stupid?" He yelled, and her eyes flew up to his in shock. "How could you knowingly walk into a trap Lois? What if you'd gotten hurt?"

He knew he was being unfair, but the realisation of what she'd done was sinking in and he was angry. But more than that, he was hurt that she hadn't trusted him with this. He could've helped her. He could've protected her.

"Clark…"

"I know you like throwing yourself into dangerous situations Lois but…dammit you should've trusted me to help you!" He ran a hand through his hair in frustration as he turned his back to her.

"I didn't have a choice Clark!" She yelled back. "He was in danger, I had to save him. I'm sorry if I dented your ego but he's my father!" Clark whirled around to face her, a muscle bunching at the edge of his jaw.

"That's not the point and you know it." He said, his voice a little lower now. "You finished with me and took off on some crazy mission. Didn't you think about how I would feel if something had happened to you?"

"Strangely enough, the world does not revolve around Clark Kent! I took care of myself. I handled it. I don't need your protection!" She said, squaring her shoulders and standing tall.

"You lied to me. Right to my face!"

She let out a snort of laughter. "Oh come on, don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing!"

"That's different Lois. I can look after myself, you're not invincible you know!"

She threw her hands up. "Oh well I'm sorry if I've offended the mighty Clark Kent, but my father trained me well. I know how to get myself out of situations like that." She yelled back bitterly, her eyes glinting with rage.

He stopped and stared at her. He hated seeing that little flicker of pain in her features but he just couldn't calm himself, he could've easily lost her today. And that thought sent a new feeling rushing through his body. The overwhelming urge to protect her.

"You didn't even leave me a clue, what if they'd hurt you or worse…killed you. How would I have known? I guess I just can't believe that you would be that…" He trailed off.

"You know what? As much fun as this guilt trip is…did you come here for a reason? Other than to yell at me for doing what I thought was the right thing?" She said, a hurt expression on her face.

"Lois, this stubborn streak of yours is gonna get you killed one day. You know I could've helped you."

"I know that Clark, but…" She hesitated.

"But what?" He said, impatiently.

"They told me that I had to cut you out of my life. If they had any hint that you were involved or that anyone else knew, they would've killed him there and then. I couldn't take that chance Clark. Please try and see this from my point of view." He saw her shiver and wrap her arms around herself. That's when he saw her hand.

"Lois, what happened there?" He asked softly, taking her hand in his and examining the ugly bruise that tainted her delicate knuckles.

"There was this guy, he tried to stop us from leaving. I took care of him." She closed her eyes, her expression softening as he traced gentle circles over her hand with his thumb.

"How did you get your dad out?"

"I uh…well I got to this place and went inside. I found him in a room strapped to a chair. He looked so…" She swallowed hard. "Anyway I tried to get him out but then someone crept up on me. I took care of him but there was another. I felt a sharp sting in my neck and everything went black." Clark stiffened, listening to her account of what happened.

"Did they hurt you?" He asked, his voice strained as his gaze swept over her from head to toe.

"No, not really. They just knocked me out with something. I woke up later and managed to get my father loose. We got to the doors and someone grabbed me from behind."

"Why didn't you call for me?" He took a step closer to her, pinning her under his gaze.

"I wanted to Clark. But he said they've been watching us. I didn't want to expose you to anything. I couldn't do that to you." She gently pulled her hand away and turned back to the wall, looking out over the city.

"I know they've been watching us. Chloe found some files on that hard drive. Pictures of the two of us."

"Does she know who it is?"

"No, not yet. I went back there but he's long gone." Lois nodded slowly. Clark watched her as she tightened her arms around herself and he found himself wishing that he had the ability to read her mind.

"Lois…you said…" He paused, looking down at the ground. "You said you didn't love me."

"I know." She replied, without looking at him. He pressed his lips together and waited, hoping that she would say something else. Maybe this wasn't the right time to talk about that. She obviously still needed some space from him. Remembering what she'd said about him being clingy, he decided to back off a little.

"Lois, why aren't you at the hospital?" That question seemed to do the trick. She looked over at him and there was a brief pause before he saw tears well up in her eyes.

"I can't…I don't wanna see him like that Clark. I waited until he was settled, he's out for the night anyway. Chloe came, she said that she would wait. There's nothing more I can do there and I hate hospitals. The doctors said that he had suffered a lot of trauma to his head. They're gonna run some tests. He was so weak…"

In two strides, he was by her side, pulling her into his arms. He felt a little sob escape her body as he cradled her head against his chest.

"He'll be okay Lois. You know that. He's like you, a fighter. He's not gonna let something like this take him down."

"I know. I just…it's so hard seeing him so…"

"I know. But at least he's in the right place now. They'll take care of him." She nodded and looked up at him.

He smoothed away a tear that fell down her cheek. She lifted a hand and caressed his cheek, he closed his eyes for a second and leaned into her hand, relishing its warmth. Her hazel eyes burned deep into his blues, her features soft.

"I love you." She said. Clark's heart felt like it had suddenly grown three sizes. It felt so good to hear those words again.

"I understand that you needed some space from me Lois I…"

"No Clark. I didn't. You're the one person I want around. All this has made me realise just how important the people I love are to me and I never want you to doubt how I feel about you. Saying those words to you was the hardest thing I've ever done and I'm not proud of it. I know I hurt you, and for that I'm sorry."

Knowing that those words were probably difficult for someone as independent as Lois to say was heart warming. Clark smiled down at her, the hurt and anger fading away as he looked at her. He was still unhappy that she had done what she did, but he could understand why she did it. It was one of the things he loved most about her, she would do anything to help the people she loved.

Slowly, he leaned down and covered her lips in a tender kiss. He felt her shiver again as he wrapped both arms around her slender waist.

"Come on, let's go inside." He said, leading her back through the balcony doors. He sat down on the sofa with her and pulled her into his lap. He traced the delicate features of her face, then trailed his hands down her neck and arms, checking for any visible signs that she had been hurt. She said she hadn't but he wanted to be sure. She tucked her head into his shoulder and sighed.

"So does this mean you forgive me?" She asked.

"There's nothing to forgive Lo. I'm sorry I went off on you but the thought of something happening to you scares the hell outta me. But I know that you don't need protecting, you can handle yourself. I just don't ever want to see the day where you get in over your head." He said, gently rubbing his hand up and down her bare arm.

She was still shivering a little so he pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and wrapped her up, pulling her closer to him.

"I know. I'll be more careful, I promise. But I don't think this is over Clark." He nodded, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

"Whatever it is Lois, we'll face it _together_." He said, emphasising the last word. "Your dad's safe, he's in the best hands, you're here and you're okay. That's all that matters right now. We can figure out the rest later." She nodded and tilted her head to kiss him.

His mouth was gentle as it covered hers, subtly coaxing and she wound her arms around his neck and leaned in as he slid one hand down to cup her bottom while the other captured her nape.

A faint groan emerged from her throat as he let his mouth trail to the sensitive cord at the edge of her neck, making his own pulse race. Suddenly she thrust both hands into his hair and pulled his head back up, her mouth crashing on his roughly.

He understood what she was doing, conveying everything she felt for him, asking for forgiveness in the most intimate way. He shuffled forward and dropped to his knees, still holding her, and placed her down on the floor, lying over her. He stared into her eyes for a few moments, drinking her in.

"I love you." She whispered, it never failed to make his heart beat just a little faster every time he heard those words.

"I love you too." He bent his head and kissed her again, his hands running slowly up her sides, making her squirm beneath his touch.

He felt her body tremble as he moved his hands lower, dealing with the fastening of her jeans. It was amazing how empowered you could feel in the arms of the person you loved, he mused. She took away every fear and inhibition he had when it came to her.

Gently and with care, he slid his hand beneath the waist of her jeans as his mouth moved over a breast. He took his time, using his mouth, his hands, to bring her to climax, and she sobbed out loud as she went high…so high she caught hold of him and held on.

This, _this_ was the emotion lyrics attempted to capture, together with poets and every language. This was love. In its purest form. She closed her eyes and let her breathing settle, except he was far from done.

Slowly, he lifted her gently into his arms and carried her through to the bedroom, kicking the door shut with his foot and then he placed her on the bed. He looked down at her, her hair splayed across her pillow, her eyes regarding him with a wanton lust but also with immense love.

It was an image that would forever be burned into his mind.


	19. Chapter 18

_**Chapter Eighteen **_

Lois knew she was alone before she even opened her eyes, the following morning. She rolled over and buried her face in the pillow next to her, inhaling Clark's scent. For a few seconds she allowed the night before to replay in her head before the reality came crashing back in. Her body was practically humming from the activities she'd shared with Clark. He had held her so tight afterwards, as if he was afraid to ever let her go.

She needed to get up, get to the hospital. She felt bad that she'd just left Chloe there to deal with everything but as soon as they'd gotten her father settled in, she couldn't take anymore. She'd had to get out of there. She needed time to process what had happened at that place. Why had they taken her father? She still had no clue as to who had taken him and why.

She had not been expecting Clark to show up when he did and even though she knew she deserved it, she had not been expecting him to get so mad at her but she knew that it was only because he cared about her.

She rubbed her tired eyes and peeled back the covers. Slipping on Clark's plaid shirt, she headed out into the kitchen where the smell of fresh coffee and bacon greeted her. And there he was.

Standing in front of the cooker with just his boxers on, his back to her. She was hit with a fresh wave of desire as she watched the sinewy muscles in his back stretch and move. This man was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen. It must be a sin for someone to look that good, surely.

"Morning." He said, and she raised her eyes to see him smiling at her. Feeling a tad embarrassed at being caught ogling him, she cleared her throat, walked over to the table and sat down.

"Isn't that just asking for trouble?" She smirked, pointing between his naked chest and the frying pan, which was sizzling in his hand. Then, realising he wouldn't feel it if it did spit at him, she waved her hand. "Never mind."

He chuckled softly and bent down to kiss her.

"How you feeling?" He asked, returning to his task.

"Not bad surprisingly, though I do have a little headache. I really should get to the hospital though. Oh crap, I need to call Tess. She's gonna be so peeved that I wasn't there yesterday."

Clark shrugged. "She'll get over it. Lois if she wanted to fire you she would've done it already. Just tell her you were working on some new leads. You're not going anywhere until you eat something."

"I'm really not that hungry Clark…" She started just as her stomach said otherwise.

He merely raised an eyebrow and said. "Eat."

He placed her plate down in front of her and her stomach voiced it's approval. She waited until he was sitting opposite her with his own breakfast, threw him a smile, and then started digging in. They ate in a contented silence and Lois was seriously in danger of getting used to having him there.

Waking up to find a half naked man in your kitchen was definitely something she wouldn't mind seeing everyday. Especially someone as gorgeous as Clark. Seriously, the man had a fantastic body. She never understood how he could eat so much and still look the way he did. Of course she knew why now, but still, back then it had scared her that those kind of thoughts had popped up.

She had always blamed their first meeting for that. Seeing him naked had definitely affected her but she had managed to get past that by teasing him relentlessly. But looking at him now, and knowing how in love with him she was, she knew the truth. That those feelings had probably always been there, she'd just ignored them.

"I'll ask Tess if we can have some time off." He said when they were done.

"Like she'll say yes to that Clark. We're on thin ice as it is with her. Don't worry about it. I'll go to the hospital and see dad before I go to work. No big deal."

"Lois, we need some time. We need to talk to him about what he remembers. And you, anything that can help us figure out who's behind all this."

"I don't remember much Clark, not that much happened really, besides what I already told you." She sipped her coffee and leaned back in her chair.

"But you remember where that place is don't you?"

"Yeah but…"

"Well I'm gonna go take a look around, see if anyone's still there who can tell us anything about who's behind all this."

"They won't be there Smallville. What, you think they're just gonna sit around and wait for you or the police to show up? They'll be long gone by now, just like that other guy. I don't think we're ever going to find out who's behind this." She sighed. Why couldn't they just go back to the way things had been last night? She'd felt loved, protected, safe. Why did she have to deal with all this?

"We'll find them Lo." He said, resting his hand on top of hers over the table.

"Well for now all we can do is just…" She paused, her hand going to her head as a wave of dizziness hit her hard.

"Lo? You okay?" Clark asked and she opened her eyes to see the concern on his face.

"Yeah, I'm…fine. I just had a little…that was weird. But I'm okay. It's probably just stress." She said. Clark stared at her sceptically.

"Maybe we should get you checked out by a doctor when we go see your dad?" He didn't have to say the words for Lois to hear the concern in his statement. She knew he was worried and it was very sweet, one of things she loved most about him. But she had more important things to focus on right now. On the top of that list was getting to the hospital.

"Let's just see how it goes. It's gone now, I feel perfectly fine. Stop worrying so much Smallville." She said, getting up and crossing over to him. She sat down on his lap as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She kissed him and ran her hands down his chest.

"Mm." Clark moaned as she pulled back. "Wow you're good at that."

"So I've been told." She laughed at the surprise on his face. "Just kidding Smallville."

"I've missed that laugh." He leaned in and rubbed her nose with his.

"Yeah well there hasn't exactly been a lot to laugh about lately." She stood up and smoothed down her shirt. "Come on, let's get ready. I want to get to the hospital." She made her way back down the hall to her room.

"Lois?" She stopped in the doorway and turned to face him.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" She threw him a wink and smiled broadly.

"I'm getting there Smallville."

* * *

  
Lana paced the floor of the Isis foundation. She was restless and feeling more than a little anxious. Chloe had gone off once again and left her on her own. And whatever it was had seemed urgent. She'd been looking through something on the computer and then all of a sudden she was heading out of the door telling Lana to stay put.

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate everything Chloe had done for her so far, it was that she was scared and feeling very alone. The only person she remembered was as distant as could be, and though she was grateful that he had vowed to help her as much as he could, she felt a little sad that he was in love with someone else.

Clearly not what she recollected but she had to admit that seeing Clark so happy was nice. She wondered if they'd ever shared anything like that. It seemed her own memories weren't to be trusted, she couldn't be sure what was real and what wasn't. She would give anything for him to look at her the way he looked at Lois. It was in his eyes, they sparkled every time he saw her and he was very clearly protective of her.

Lois seemed nice from what she'd seen so far and she genuinely felt sorry for her, she seemed to be going through a lot and she guessed that some of it was due to her sudden appearance. She stopped pacing and let out a huge sigh. The last thing she wanted to do was cause problems between Lois and Clark.

Chloe was nice and she could see how they would've become such close friends, but it was so frustrating not being able to recall that friendship. And what about these powers that she'd heard them mention? She knew all about Clark but how did she end up with superpowers?

She felt like there were thousands of questions to which no one had any answers. The doctor who had brought her to Metropolis had been killed, shot in the head. Obviously someone didn't want him talking. That worried her. What had they done to her? She sat down on the sofa and closed her eyes.

All this stress was starting to take its toll on her. She had been fighting a headache all morning and she could feel her heart beating fast. How long was she supposed to go on like this? She felt so useless. She couldn't bear the thought of having to live out the rest of her life in this situation. No, she needed to do something, anything.

She got up, grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. Chloe had said something about visiting her uncle at the hospital. Lana wasn't sure what she could possibly do when she got there but she wasn't just going to sit around twiddling her thumbs.

* * *

"So he's going to be okay?" Lois asked for what seemed like the hundredth time in a matter of minutes as she and Clark stood before the doctor who was treating her father. She glanced in the window at the sleeping form lying in the bed and her heart clenched painfully.

She had never had the closest of relationships with her father but she loved him so much, she couldn't bear the thought of ever losing him. The doctor regarded her for a moment, pushed his glasses back up his nose and gave her a small smile.

"Well it's early days yet Miss Lane, he sustained a lot of head trauma. We ran some tests when he was brought in, the CAT scan showed up some slight swelling on his brain but it seems to have gone down a little overnight. I want to keep him in for a few more days, until the rest of it goes down but overall, I'm happy with his progress." Lois let out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding and felt Clark's hand rubbing gentle, reassuring circles on her back.

"Did anyone contact Sergeant Thompson? I left his number at the nurse's station."

Lois felt a little guilty at not contacting him herself but last night, she just hadn't been able to do anything. Yesterday had both physically and emotionally taken it out of her and she'd been in no mood to talk to anyone last night. Well except Clark, she thought. It was always easier when he was around, he was her rock.

"Yes one of the nurses called him." Lois nodded and relaxed a little more, leaning against Clark as he wrapped an arm around her waist and touched his lips to her temple.

"Can I go in?" She nodded towards the door and the doctor smiled.

"Of course you can, he's been asking for you but I think he's sleeping now. I'll be back in a little while to check on him." He reached out and gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder, then turned and walked away, leaving Lois standing next to Clark.

"I'll wait out here Lo."

"You don't have to…" He held up a hand to stop her.

"No it's okay, I need to go and see Tess anyway and ask her for some time off for you. You need to be with him and I don't want to stress him out any further. He still doesn't know about us. I'm sure his little Lo getting together with a farm boy will really impress him." Clark said sullenly.

"It doesn't matter what he thinks Clark. I love you and nothing's gonna change that." Clark gazed into her eyes and drew her in for a hug.

"It better not." He murmured in her ear, making a shiver run down her spine. "Go on, I won't be gone long and then I'll wait out here for you." She took his face in her hands and kissed him lovingly, relishing his sigh of contentment as she turned and walked into the room.

Her smile, however, quickly faded as she closed the door behind her. Standing at the foot of the bed, she looked down at the General. He seemed so small, so fragile. Nothing at all like the brave, strong General of an army she had been raised by. Whoever took him had clearly done a number on him.

She felt a new wave of anger rush up into her gut as the thought took hold. She really needed to find out who did this. She walked around the bed and sat down in the chair beside it. She wanted to hear his voice so badly but she didn't dare wake him, so she sat back and waited. It was enough for now to just be here with him.

Clark watched her through the window for a few moments, hating the look of anguish on her face but powerless to do anything to ease it. He frowned as he noticed her rubbing the back of her neck as if it were causing her discomfort. She had flatly refused to see a doctor when they had arrived here and he knew that there was no use in pushing her to do it.

She was worried about her father. Right now that was the only thing that took precedent in her mind. Maybe, Clark hoped, when he woke up, he could convince her to see someone.

"Clark, there you are. Where's Lois?" He looked up to see Chloe rushing towards him with a panicked look on her face.

"She's in there with her dad. Is everything okay?"

"We need to talk." She said, nodding her head towards the exit.

"Let's just sit here. Whatever it is can't be that bad…" He paused when he saw her nod. "Can it?"

She looked around uncertainly, checking to see if anyone was close by and then sat down, pulling him down next to her. Within seconds she had produced a small purple folder from her bag and handed it over to him.

"Clark…" She started just before he opened it. "Lana is not who we think she is."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Before you open that, you should know that I have checked and re-checked this dozens of times. There is _no_ doubt." Clark shot her a puzzled look and opened the folder.

His mouth fell open at the images he was presented with. A blur, blackish-blue, was caught on camera saving people in an earthquake in China. Above the picture was a headline from a local paper, Clark couldn't translate it but it was obvious that it was talking about Lana.

"_This_ is Lana?" He asked, shocked.

"It would appear so, and she's been busy too. I managed to get in touch with her, she's living in Paris now."

"So if this is Lana, then…" He trailed off, his mind trying to catch up. This didn't make any sense.

"I don't know who this woman who's with us now is Clark, but I do know that she is not Lana Lang. At least not the Lana Lang that we know. There's something much bigger going on here, the doctor she mentioned, he was a genetic professor remember?" Clark nodded. "Well I'm thinking maybe she's…"

"A clone? Is that even possible?"

"Think about it Clark. We both know Lex has done this before. He had that technology."

"Yeah but that one was never alive. Lana used that one to…fake her own death." He said quietly, his mind going back to the day that Lionel told him she had been killed by a bomb in her car.

When Lana had shown up again, he'd been so relieved that know that she was okay, that he never really stopped to think about the fact that she had let him believe she was dead, just to frame Lex. He forced his attention back to Chloe. This was way too much for him to take in.

If this woman really was a clone of some sort, she was a very good one. Of course there were inconsistencies in her personality and mannerisms but he'd put that down to her amnesia. The thought of her being a replica of Lana had never even entered his mind. Why would it? It seemed like something out of a science fiction movie.

He just couldn't get his mind to grasp that something like this was even real, let alone possible. He'd heard of a few successful animal clonings in the past but never a human, at least, never a living human anyway.

"Well it looks like someone has found a way around that." Chloe said solemnly. Clark looked down at the picture again, he was proud that Lana was using her powers to help people. It was what she had wanted after all, even if she had gone about it the wrong way. He would always care about Lana but he was glad that he could now look at things objectively instead of letting his feelings cloud his judgement.

"Have you told her about this?" He asked, unsure of what to think about her. If all this was true and she really was a clone, it was incredibly unfair and cruel to let her believe that she was living another person's life. But how could he help her? He couldn't let her go on believing she was Lana Lang. That life belonged to someone else.

"No, I don't want to upset her. She clearly thinks she's Lana. But we have another problem. If this isn't Lana, then how does she know so much about you? She not only knows about your powers Clark, but about where you're from. Everything…" She paused and waited for a nurse to walk by. "How much did Lex actually know about you?"

"I'm not sure. He knew that I was from a different planet and he knew about my powers but other than that, I don't know. We don't even know if he's still alive though Chloe."

"But it is a possibility. One we can't afford to ignore Clark." She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "How's Lois doing?" She asked, tucking a stray piece of blonde hair behind her ear.

She looked tired, Clark thought and he realised that maybe she had been working around the clock to try and find any information to give him. He felt a little guilty for not being there more for her, she was obviously still trying hard to deal with her impending divorce and as a result, was throwing herself more into her work. He just hoped that she wouldn't crash and burn and make herself ill through it.

"I think she's okay. She seems okay but I'm a little worried."

"Why?"

"I don't think she's feeling well and she won't let a doctor look at her. We don't know what they did to her yesterday. I'm gonna go back there and see if I can find anything. I need to go and see Tess first though, can you…?" Chloe smiled and nodded knowingly.

"Leave it to me Clark, I'll get her to see a doctor." Clark nodded and gave her a hug.

"Thanks Chlo." She pasted on a bright smile that he knew was fake.

"How are we going to tell Lana she isn't…?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"I don't know. I don't really believe it myself."

"That poor girl. We have to help her Clark." He could see that Chloe was close to tears so he pulled her into a gentle hug again. "How could anyone do this? It's so cruel. Who has the right to play God like that?"

"We'll figure it out Chloe. Right now I just feel like we don't have all the pieces of the puzzle." He let her go and started walking away, pausing to turn and look at her. "I'll be back soon okay? Don't worry,"

Chloe watched him leave and then walked into the General's room, unaware that just around the corner, Lana stood wide-eyed and terrified.


	20. Chapter 19

**_Chapter Nineteen_**

Clark quietly snapped open the locked door of the building Lois had described to him. He had come straight here after leaving the Planet. Tess hadn't been there so he'd left a message with her assistant to get back to him as soon as she could. She wasn't going to like it but he couldn't care less. He had more important things to take care of right now.

He made his way down the only hallway that was available and came to a stop at the end. The same two doors that had faced Lois the day before, now faced him. Both were locked. Not a problem for him. He opened the door to his right, the room that had held Lois' father and was not surprised to see that it was empty. Even the chair the General had been tied to was gone.

He did a quick sweep with his x-ray vision to make sure he wasn't missing anything and aside from the camera in the top corner of the room, he didn't find anything. He left the room and made his way across to the other door and stepped inside. It was a room much like the other, small, empty and dark.

He frowned, from the look of the outside of the building he would've assumed that there had to be more than two rooms in it. He was missing something. The place was eerily quiet, and very dark considering the brightness of the morning outside. He went back outside and round to the back. He found a small building that led off from the main one.

Using his x-ray vision and hearing he could tell it was deserted. What kind of place was this? He wondered. His first impression had been of a small hospital or maybe a doctor's surgery. But clearly that wasn't the case. He walked over to the only door he could see and tested it. Locked.

Grabbing the handle, he twisted lightly, feeling the lock snap beneath his grip, and entered. His wide-eyed gaze swept the room. Computer monitors and some strange looking equipment adorned the walls. There was a large steel table like the ones you saw in a morgue, lying in the centre of the room and just behind it, a control panel.

He went over to it and took a look around. There was a small camp bed in the corner and the remains of a half eaten cheeseburger sat on the little table next to it. Was this where Lana had been created? His blood ran cold at the thought of that girl being cooked up in this…lab.

The computers were, of course, all powered down and though he tried, he couldn't get anything out of them. Sighing in frustration Clark took a step back. There had to be some kind of a clue here. The men who had taken the General had disappeared as he knew they would have. The doctor who had created Lana, had been killed.

Someone was going to a lot of trouble to make sure he never found out who was behind it all. The more he though about it, the more he was sure that it couldn't be Lex. He would not be so intent on hiding his actions, he would want Clark to know that it was him.

Whoever was orchestrating this, they knew exactly what to do to get to Clark. And that worried him. Not for himself, but for the people he cared about. Lois had already been dragged into this mess and Lana, well the woman who had turned up, she was just as innocent in all this.

Taking one last look around, Clark paused and stared harder at the centre of the control desk. There was something underneath it. He kneeled down and reached under, bringing a sheet of paper back with him. It had been taped to the underside of the desk. As Clark began to read, his hearing picked something up. Footsteps. And they were heading this way. He quickly folded the paper and tucked it into his jeans pocket, dived under the desk and waited.

"Come on man, I want to get this done quickly. I don't wanna hang around here anymore than I have to." Clark heard the door open and a beam of light entered the room, creating two shadows on the wall in front of them.

"Why are we even here?" Another voice asked.

"Look you know we have to get this stuff cleared away. Boss wants it done ASAP and I'm not going to p**s him off. Look at what happened to the professor. Do you want to be next?" There was a pause. "No didn't think so. Come on. I'll get the computer stuff cleared up while you…hey!"

Clark looked up to see him standing in front of the desk. His face was bruised and there was a scar above his eyebrow. This was the guy who'd attacked Lois.

Clark quickly stood and faced him, seeing the flash of nervousness in the man's eyes as he took in the sheer size of his opponent. Clark saw him reach for something in his belt, maybe a gun. He didn't give him the chance, he grabbed his collar and pushed him up against the wall. The other man, having seen the commotion, came running in but Clark pushed him back, sending him flying into the wall, rendering him unconscious.

"Who are you?" Clark asked.

"Look man, I don't want any trouble here." He stuttered, his eyes darting around the room and focusing on a certain point. Clark looked behind him and saw what he was looking at. A camera in the far corner and even though it didn't appear to be working, Clark had to be careful here, he couldn't reveal too much about himself.

"You took General Lane." Clark said, his voice low and angry. "Who put you up to this?"

"I don't know, I swear. We were just following orders, we were told to grab the General when he arrived in Metropolis a few days ago and to keep him here until his daughter came looking for him. I have no idea who it was."

"You're lying." Clark's hand gripped the man's wrist, slammed it against the wall and squeezed, causing the man to howl out in pain. "Who killed the doctor that was working here?"

"Ah! Come on man you're gonna break my arm!"

"Then tell me what I want to know."

"I don't know who killed him, all I know is, if I don't follow my orders, I'll be next."

"How exactly did you get these orders?"

The man's eyes widened as he realised something. "I got calls, but I never got a number. It was always withheld."

With each answer Clark received, he felt a spike in the man's pulse and heart rate. He smiled to himself, it was like he was a walking lie detector. Something that would be very useful.

"What did you do to Lois Lane?"

"Lois Lane? Nothing!" He yelled, the pain in his arm becoming unbearable. "AH! Okay, okay, I knocked her out with something and kept her in the room her father was in. Though the b***h put up a hell of a fight…"

Clark felt a spark of anger and pushed him further back into the wall, causing his head to connect painfully with it.

"How did you know she was going to come looking for her father? Were you the one that sent her those pictures?"

"Pictures? No, I don't know what you're talking about. I got a call saying that she was on her way and that I had to make sure she didn't leave. At all costs. I swear that's all I know." Clark heard a groan from the other side of the room. The man he had thrown was starting to wake up.

"If you're lying to me, I will come looking for you." Clark said, his voice strong and threatening.

He released his hold on the man's collar and grabbed his upper arm, guiding him over to his fallen colleague. Clark grabbed him too and led them out of the building. Once outside, Clark looked around for any more cameras and, satisfied that he couldn't see any, he turned on the man he had spoken to.

"Give me your phone."

The man quickly nodded and reached into his jacket pocket with his free arm while Clark kept up the pressure on the other. He handed it over and Clark put it in his pocket, hoping that Chloe would be able to get something from it later.

* * *

"I did not say that!" Kara giggled as Oliver held open the door to the café for her. They were in Metropolis having breakfast together. Kara had been pleasantly surprised earlier that morning when he had called. He'd offered to send a car for her but then realised that she could make it there in less time then it would take for the car to even arrive at the farm.

Their date the night before had gone very well and even ended with a goodnight kiss. A memory that would stay with her for a long time. It was still new and a little scary for her and these feelings she was having were only getting stronger. She couldn't remember a time when she'd felt like this.

Oliver was charming, sweet and very sexy. But she felt as if she could talk to him about anything and she was grateful once again that she didn't have to hide who she really was from him.

She was still no closer to making a decision about whether to stay or not but she figured that spending a little more time here, with people she cared about, couldn't do any harm.

"Really? I could've sworn that's what I heard." Oliver replied, sending a dazzling smile her way as she sat down at the table nearest the window. He stood by the counter ready to order for them.

"Then I think you were imagining things Mr Queen." She replied coyly.

"Okay, but I could swear I that I heard you say I was hot when we first met."

"You just don't give up do you?" She asked with a laugh. "Doesn't it hurt?"

Oliver looked at her, confused. "What?"

"Carrying that big head around. It must play havoc on your neck." Oliver let out a short burst of laughter and turned to the waitress who had just appeared. He placed their order and took a seat opposite Kara.

"So…" He started.

"So…?"

"So you don't think I'm hot?" Kara rolled her eyes in exasperation but smiled.

"I guess you're kind of cute." She replied.

"Cute huh?" He said, nodding. "I can live with that."

"And do you think I'm cute?" Kara asked, then felt her cheeks heating up.

What on earth had made her ask that? It had been happening a lot around him. She would say and do things that were totally out of character for her. But the last few days with him had been wonderful and she wouldn't trade it for anything. He reached out and took her hand in his, his thumb sending ripples of heat up her arm.

"Yeah but…." He replied and she felt her smile begin to fade. "I think you are the most beautiful and exciting woman I've ever met." His eyes bore deep into hers and she felt the heat in her face kick up a notch as her mouth went dry. She swallowed hard, trying to get some sound past the lump in her throat.

"And I'm guessing there's a few." She managed to get out.

"Well I'm not going to lie to you Kara, I haven't exactly been a monk. This past year has been…difficult to say the least. But all that's over now. I really like you and I want this to go somewhere. I know you told me about going to look for your…" He paused to take a cautious glance around. "Lost city, but I really hope that you'll stay a little longer. Not just for me, I know that Clark loves having you here too."

"I do like it here Oliver. I really like you too and even though a part of me knows that I can't give up my search, for now, I'm happy here." She smiled as his grin widened.

"Most exciting woman you've ever met huh? What about Lois? She's pretty exciting."

"Lois? Well yeah she's definitely a loose cannon I'll give her that." He chuckled. "I think she's a good match for Clark. He needs someone to give him a kick up the butt every now and then."

"When did all this happen? I still find it a little strange that they've actually come out and admitted how they feel. I mean this is Clark we're talking about. You know how he loves to bury these things deep." Oliver released her hand and waited as the waitress brought over their order.

"I don't know about Clark, but I remember arriving at Chloe's wedding and seeing Lois sat on the porch, a whole bottle of champagne in her hand. I'd never seen her so upset before. She confessed that she was having all these feelings for someone and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who she was talking about." He let out a laugh and shook his head.

"Man you should've seen the look on her face when I called her on it. Priceless. But I think maybe I knew before that. I always saw little signs of it whenever they were in the same room together. They argued all the time, but it was always filled with a passion that Lois and I never had."

"You know I never saw it, I hear people like you and Chloe saying how it was there the whole time but, I don't know. I just never saw it unti she and Clark were in the...zone. I saw how strong she is, I told Clark that she would be able to handle his secret. But in the past, all I ever heard him say about her was how she kept bugging him. He constantly went on about the many ways she found to tease and belittle him. He never said any of this maliciously but he was definitely annoyed."

"Well see that's the thing. They're like two sides of the same coin. They argue, banter and cross words all the time. But to Lois and Clark that's like foreplay. They feed off it and they get a huge buzz from ruffling each other's feathers. That's just how they work. But seeing them together, there's not a doubt in my mind that they're in love."

"They really are aren't they? Well I'm glad. I'm happy for Clark, I know he was always scared about ending up alone because of who he is." Kara replied, a pensive look on her face.

"And how about you? How do you feel about being who you are?"

"Well, I like who I am. I don't have the same doubts plaguing me that Clark does because I wasn't raised as a human like he was. Maybe that's where I'm different, I don't have all the human emotions that he has. Sometimes I feel that I won't ever belong here. Clark's destiny was always set out for him from the minute he was sent here but mine…I was sent here to help him. But seeing who he has become, I know he doesn't need that from me and I found out that that was an elaborate scheme of my father's... What is my purpose here?"

"Hey, you may not have the same destiny that Clark has but it doesn't make you any less special. Kara, with the things you can do, you could help the world just as Clark does. I'm sure that Clark would love having you around the help out."

"I guess so. But it does make me wonder…" She hesitated, not wanting to voice her thoughts for fear that they would sound stupid.

"What?" He asked, softly. He reached out and took her hand in his again. She looked down at them, a smile curving the corners of her mouth.

"Its just that…well I know that strong women scare most men. They like to be the one in charge and all that. But with me, strong really does take on a whole new meaning."

"Kara, I couldn't care less if you can…" He lowered his head closer and whispered. "Bench press a tractor or fly at the speed of sound. You're incredibly sweet and a great person to be around. Trust me I'm not at all intimidated. I'm man enough to say that sometimes men need a strong woman to take the lead. I mean look at Clark and Lois. Lois is by no means weak."

He laughed. "He may the physically stronger of the two but emotionally…" He trailed off, leaving Kara with that thought.

She knew what he was trying to say. Even though she may be physically strong, she was still a young woman who was on a strange planet far from home. She really had no one apart from Clark and that left her vulnerable. Oliver was letting her know that he would be there for her emotionally, should she need him. She squeezed his hand gently and smiled appreciatively.

"Thanks Ollie." She replied, feeling a little giddy at the once again dazzling smile he sent her way. He really was gorgeous, she thought. His chiselled features gave him a distinguished look. But his blonde spiky hair and blue/green eyes gave him a youthful appeal.

"No problem. So tell me more about…"

"Oliver Queen." Kara looked up to see a woman standing near the open door. Her eyes quickly assessing what she was seeing. Feeling a little self conscious under her gaze, Kara tried to pull her hand back but Oliver only tightened his grip.

"Tess…" He replied and Kara noted the way her eyebrows rose at her name. "What are you doing here?"

"I just stopped in for a coffee. They make the best café latte that I have ever tasted here. What are you doing here?"

"I'm having breakfast with someone." He said firmly, nodding his head towards Kara.

"I can see that. I'm Tess Mercer…an old…friend of Oliver's." She said extending her hand out to Kara. She took it cautiously and smiled. She had heard about this woman from Clark. Kara remembered the duplicitous nature of the Luthors very well. This woman wasn't to be trusted.

"Nice to meet you." Kara replied. Tess regarded her questioningly.

"And you would be?"

"I'm Kara."

Tess chuckled lightly. "Is that like Madonna or do you have a last name?"

"Kara Kent." Kara knew the second she'd said the name Kent that Tess' interest was peaked.

"Really? Kent? A relation to Clark?"

"I'm his cousin. From Minnesota."

"Ah I see. Well I have to say this is a surprise, Clark never mentioned any relatives."  
Tess said, her eyes burning with curiosity.

"Why would he? You're his boss." Oliver said. Tess fixed him with a cold stare.

"I may be his boss but it doesn't mean that Clark hasn't talked to me on occasion. And what happened to Mercy?" She asked with a smirk and Kara felt Oliver stiffen slightly. Instead of answering her question he replied with one of his own.

"Have you had any more contact from Lex?" That did the trick, Kara noted, as Tess' features twisted into a grim expression.

"No I haven't. I trust you haven't had any success in locating where the messages came from either?"

"Not yet. But we will." He said, and her eyes narrowed at the almost threatening tone in his voice.

"Well I'll leave you two alone. Oliver, nice seeing you again, call me if you find out anything. Sorry to have interrupted." She said in a tone that said she clearly wasn't. She stormed out of the café without even ordering her coffee.

"Wow, she's…intense." Kara said.

"Yeah. I'm sorry about that." He looked sad, as if he feared the worst. While Kara didn't know the extent of his relationship with Tess, she didn't hold it against him either.

"Don't be, I know you have a past Oliver. I'm not the kind of girl that gets jealous over things like that."

Oliver smiled broadly and raised her hand to his lips. She let out a giggle to hide the reaction she was having to his lips on her skin. "Now if she had come on to you, that would've been a different matter."

Oliver laughed and leaned back in his chair.

"Well…" He was cut off by his cell phone. He looked at the caller id and frowned. "Sorry, excuse me." She nodded as he answered.

"Clark, what's up?" He listened for a few moments and then said. "Okay, I'm on my way."

"What is it?" Kara asked as he took some money out and placed it on the table next to their uneaten food.

"We have to go. Clark wants me to meet him at the hospital.

* * *

Lana took a step towards the Daily Planet's revolving doors and froze. Her hands were trembling and her mind was frazzled. She didn't even know what she was doing here. Since leaving the hospital she had wandered around the city feeling completely lost.

Everything she knew was a lie. She wasn't Lana Lang. She was a clone. A replica. At first she hadn't been willing to believe what she had heard. But she knew that Chloe had checked this a dozen times and from what she knew of Chloe, there was no way she would be wrong about something like this. Her reaction at the hospital, and Clark's, left Lana in no doubt.

The big question now was, where did this leave her? What was she supposed to do? She couldn't carry on living someone else's life. She though of Clark. How was it that she knew so much about him? He was a virtual stranger to her now. Nothing she remembered could be trusted. She had thought she was in love with him.

Though it was all a lie, after having spent the last few days around him, she could see that he would be easy to fall in love with. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and paced the pavement. She knew that Clark had come here to see someone and even though she had no idea what she would say when she saw him, for some reason she felt compelled to seek him out.

She may be a replica of a person he once loved, but she knew that he would still do anything he could to help her. He was a good person. He had the purest heart she had ever seen, which, she reflected bitterly, she hadn't actually seen much of.

"Lana?" She turned to see a huge black limo parked up at the kerb next to her. She hadn't even heard it pull up. The back window was rolled down and a smartly dressed, elegant woman with dark auburn hair was staring at her.

"Do I know you?" Lana asked, her senses instantly on alert.

"Well we were never friends but I like to think that we were at least acquaintances." The woman chuckled and got out of the car.

"I'm sorry, I'm uh…having a bit of trouble with my memory lately." Lana replied, not wanting to offend this woman if she really did know her. Well Lana Lang, anyway.

"Oh I see. I'm Tess Mercer. I'm the acting CEO of Luthorcorp." Lana took the hand that Tess offered and shook it.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember you." Lana said.

"It's okay. Were you in an accident?"

"Not that I remember." Lana lied. She didn't know if she could trust this woman.

"But you do remember some things surely?"

"Well actually I do remember Clark. I was just on my way here to see him."

"Clark Kent? You remember him?" Lana frowned, Tess was clearly intrigued with that piece of information.

"Well Clark and Chloe have been helping me to figure out how this might've happened."

"Ah, yes. Well I don't mean to sound conceited here Lana, but I have the resources that could help you a lot more than Chloe Sullivan. Where are you staying at the moment?"

"Well I'm staying with Chloe but to be honest, I'm starting to feel like I'm outstaying my welcome. But I don't know where else to go." Lana replied sadly.

She didn't know what to do with herself. She needed help, and she didn't feel comfortable staying with Chloe. Not when she knew that every time she looked at her, she would only see her friend.

"I know that I'm practically a stranger to you, but you are more than welcome to come and stay with me. We could arrange for some doctor's appointments. Have a few tests and see what's going on and if there's any way to fix it." Tess offered.

"No that's okay." Lana replied a little too quickly. But then she felt bad. Tess was being nice to her and she seemed to want to help. At this point, Lana really had no other options.

"Lana, I just want to help you. I know you can't trust me right now but I'm hoping that you will. Like I said before, we were never really friends but I'd like to change that. I promise if you're uncomfortable at all, you are free to leave at any time. I just think that you're recovery will benefit from the doctors I can get to help you."

Lana stood watching her warily. It was true she couldn't trust this woman. But right now, she couldn't really trust anyone. Maybe this woman could help her in another way. She knew that there were no memories to actually get back, but maybe, if she played this right, maybe she could find a new life. Her own life and not someone else's. But still, she couldn't just place herself in the hands of a stranger.

As if she were aware of Lana's thoughts, Tess took something out of her purse and held it out. "Look, here's my card. If you change your mind, call me and I'll be only too willing to help you." Lana took the offered card and nodded.

"Thank you. I appreciate that." Tess smiled back at her and walked to the doors of the Daily Planet.

"I hope to hear from you soon Lana. It was nice seeing you again." And with that she was gone, leaving Lana once again, alone.


	21. Chapter 20

_**Chapter Twenty**_

"Did Clark put you up to this?" Lois asked, annoyed as Chloe pottered around her. She had finally convinced Lois to get herself checked out by a doctor, after seeing her rub her neck for the umpteenth time. She was sitting on a bed in one of the rooms near her father's. The doctor on duty had agreed to see her. "Because I'm fine, I don't need…" She was cut off by Chloe's hand in her face.

"Lois don't even start okay? You're seeing a doctor, end of story. We don't know what happened to you yesterday and it won't kill you to co-operate for once will it?" Two pairs of fiery eyes battled with each other and inexplicably, Lois found herself backing down. Chloe's face softened as she sat down next to her and wrapped an arm loosely around her shoulders.

"I just don't want anything to happen to you Lo…" She frowned and stared down at her feet. "You know you're like my sister don't you?" She asked, in a quiet voice. Lois watched her baby cousin for a few moments before answering. She seemed so small, so fragile and Lois felt a incredible amount of love and empathy surge up within her.

"I know Chlo. I'm sorry, I'll stop whining and let the doctor take a look. But I really do feel fine. There's nothing to worry about." She took Chloe's hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I know but I just couldn't bear the thought of losing you too."

"Hey, you're not alone baby. I'll always be the proverbial thorn in your side." Lois laughed and felt a little better when she saw a smile grace her cousin's face. Though she was starting to get a little concerned about her state of mind. Chloe was depressed, it didn't take a genius to see that. Lois only hoped that she would snap out of it soon, before it got worse.

"Clark's worried about you too."

"Yeah I know, but Clark worries about everyone. That's just Smallville." She said with a wide, proud grin.

"So…how is Uncle Sam really? They won't tell me anything because I'm not immediate family." She said with a look of disdain.

"Well he's awake and talking. I think he's going to be okay. He still has a little swelling on his brain but the doctor is pleased with his progress. They did think last night that he might have to go into surgery to relieve the pressure but he stabilised and now he's on the mend. Well, if his bellowing is anything to go by…" Lois said, her voice cracking on the last part.

"What did he say?" Chloe asked.

Lois quickly recovered herself and said flippantly. "Oh you know, the usual. That it was pretty stupid of me to attempt a rescue mission on my own and that he thought he'd raised me better than to jump in feet first instead of thinking things through."

"He has a point Lo…not about the stupid part, you were only doing what you thought was right…"

"But?" Lois knew there was one coming and Chloe didn't disappoint.

"But you have to realise that it was pretty reckless diving in like that without telling anyone where you were going. Was Clark angry when he found you last night?"

"He made his feelings very clear." Lois said with a shudder, remembering Clark's face as he yelled at her on her balcony the night before. She knew that he had been scared but still, she thought that of all people, he would understand why she felt she had to do it alone. "But whatever you all think, I had no choice and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Yes I know it was incredibly stupid but that's what Lois Lane does, acts first, thinks later."

"Lois, I know you were only looking out for your dad and I'm sure whatever he said, he appreciates it. He does love you."

"I know he does, in his own way." She said, wistfully. "Besides, it all worked out in the end and I'm fine. He's going to be okay and that's all that matters. I don't want to focus on what if's. So can we please just drop it?"

"Yeah sure."

"Where is Clark anyway, he said he was going to talk to Tess but that was ages ago?"

"He's uh, he went to check out the place where you were held yesterday but I haven't heard from him."

Lois shook her head slowly and sighed. "He's not going to find anything. They'll have had that place cleared out long before now."

"Well Clark has advantages that we don't." Chloe said with a knowing smile. Lois narrowed her eyes and watched her closely for a moment.

"Was it hard?"

"What?"

"Keeping his secret all these years?"

Chloe expelled a breath and thought hard but before she could answer, the door opened and the doctor who was taking care of Sam Lane breezed in.

"Now then Miss Lane. What's the trouble?" He asked, his glasses slipping down his nose until Lois was sure they were going to fall off.

"No trouble really doctor, I just need…" She paused, unsure of what she really needed. He looked up and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"She was held by the same people who had her father and she was injected with something. We just want to make sure that she's okay." Chloe chimed in, ignoring the 'I can speak for myself' glare Lois was sending her way.

"Right okay then, if you don't mind stepping outside for a moment Miss…?"

"Oh sure. I'll be right outside Lo." Lois nodded and watched as Chloe got up and left.

"Chloe…" She closed the door to Lois' room and looked up to see Oliver and Kara walking towards her. The fact that they were holding hands didn't go unnoticed and she rose an inquisitive brow, to which Oliver simply grinned. She couldn't help but smile back. She was happy for them but it felt a little bittersweet.

It seemed everyone in her life was hooking up. First Clark and Lois, and now Oliver and Kara and she had to be honest, she never saw that one coming at all. They just didn't seem like two people who would mesh well together but judging from the looks on both their faces, they were more than happy. Chloe had to admit that with their looks, they made a striking couple. And she supposed that with each of them having a secret, it brought them a little closer together.

"Hey guys, what are you doing here?" She said.

"Clark called, he told us to meet him here. Says he needs my help for something." Oliver replied.

"Oh, well he hasn't returned yet." Chloe sat down on one of the chairs that were lining the wall of the corridor.

"You okay?" Kara asked, taking a seat next to her. Chloe glanced sideways at her and smiled, two blue eyes, so much like Clark's were beaming at her. She could see how happy Kara was.

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Where's Lois?" Oliver asked, looking around.

"She's in there." Chloe replied, pointing to the door opposite her. "The doctor's taking a look at her."

"Is she all right?"

"She says she is but Clark's pretty worried and we just want to make sure that nothing happened to her yesterday." Oliver nodded as he sat down next to Kara.

"Yeah, better to be safe than sorry…" A short burst of wind stopped Oliver talking and all three looked up to see Clark standing in front of them.

"Way to hide those powers Clark." Kara snorted. Clark just smirked and turned his attention to Chloe.

"Hey, where's Lois?"

Chloe rolled her eyes and repeated what she had just told Oliver. The least Clark could've done was say hello to her. No, she wouldn't think like that. Clark was still her friend, nothing much had changed between them and it was only natural for him to wonder where her cousin was. But still, she couldn't shake the feeling of being the fifth wheel here.

"So what did you find?" She asked, wanting to get back to the matter at hand.

"Well not much, I found a room that I can only imagine Lana was created in…" His voice trailed off as he thought about it. Chloe saw Oliver's questioning gaze and filled him in.

"Wow, a clone? Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure." Chloe replied.

"Well that's just…I mean poor Lana…she doesn't deserve that." Kara said, shaking her head.

"No one does. And we're going to do everything we can to help her." Clark said. He reached into his pocket, took out the phone that he had been given and handed it to Chloe. "Here, do you think maybe you can trace the incoming calls on this?"

"Where did this come from?" She asked, looking it over.

"Well while I was inside that place, two guys came in to start clearing all the stuff away. I managed to get this off him before I left them both at the police station."

"What did they have to say?" Oliver asked.

"They don't know who called them, just that they had orders to follow and they know that the professor was murdered and they didn't want to end up the same way." Clark shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at the door to Lois' room. Chloe saw the brief flash of concern cross his features before he turned back to them.

"Well all the calls in the history log are from a withheld number. I don't know if we'll be able to trace them."

"Oh!" Clark said suddenly, making all three of them jump. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the slightly crumpled letter he'd found taped to the underside of the desk.

"What's that?" Kara asked.

"It's a letter," Clark frowned as he read. "From the professor. Seems he knew that he wasn't going to make it. He left this…" He closed his eyes and shook his head as he handed the letter over to Chloe.

She took it from him and watched as he walked over to the door of Lois' room, he leaned back against the wall as she started to read.

_To whoever may have found this. If you're reading this, it means that I am probably dead. Or maybe you're the one who killed me. Either way, I could not leave this world feeling the way I do and not telling anyone about the atrocities I have committed. About a month ago, I received a visit from a man. He was a big man, strong and quite intimidating and he had a request. No, not a request. A demand._

I am just a professor of genetic research but it seemed that my past transgression had caught the eye of someone rather powerful. You see, I have always tried to lead a good life and be an upstanding citizen of this world. But sometimes even the best of men, fall. Two years ago, I had been recruited on a secret project involving some highly questionable and illegal genetic research for Lex Luthor. But the project never got off the ground and after that, I was in hiding, waiting for Mr Luthor's call should he need me again.

But once Mr Luthor had been declared missing and presumed dead, I found myself daring to hope that all would be fine and I could once again go back to a normal life. That, however, was not the case. This was their bargaining chip. I say 'them' because I feel certain that this brute is not the brains of this operation. He is simply the brawn but by no means stupid. Whoever was behind this was not only aware of my alliance with Mr Luthor, but also had the means to use it against me.

I was weak, I gave in because I was scared. I found myself being transported here, not knowing that this would be where I would spend every waking moment working on another project. I spent many nights lying in my uncomfortable camp bed wondering just how I was going to get myself out of this mess. I never really believed them when they said that after I had completed my task, I would be free to go. But I couldn't give up hoping either. So I worked endlessly, alone, scared. The thug would return once every few days to bring me food and necessities but apart from that I was by myself. Well almost.

This is the part where I hate myself. I was required to create, that is such an awful word but fitting, to create a replica of a young woman. A clone, for want of a better word. I was given her DNA and my previous research from all those years ago. I had the equipment ready and waiting and so I got to work. It was a lengthy and tiring process and I wish I could say that I'm proud of myself but the truth is I feel terrible.

This poor girl has no place in this world, she has no life, no meaning. I don't know why they want her, and I don't want to know. I just want my life back. I carried out every little detail, including implanting memories of a young man from Kansas who I do not know, but would very much like to meet one day. If everything I have been told about him is true, I believe that he would be able to help me.

So if by some miracle this letter has found its way into the hands of the authorities or Clark Kent, then I will rest happy knowing that something will be done. However I cannot give you a lot of information to go on. I only have the name of the man who brought me here, but I hope it will help. He said his name was Daniel Phipps. I can't tell you if that's his real name or not but that's all I have.

Well that and also the fact that he was also quite scared of his employer. He mentioned my head not being the only one on the line. So I am assuming that he was in just as much trouble as I am now. If I am right and I am now dead, please give my sincerest regrets to the young woman I…

Chloe looked up to Clark with wide eyes as the letter trailed off. Obviously he had been interrupted whilst writing the last part. She passed the letter to Oliver and then walked over to Clark. His face was set in a grim expression.

"We need to find this guy Chloe." He said quietly.

"We will. Oliver." She called over to him, interrupting his conversation with Kara.

"Yeah?"

"I need access to your database. I don't have enough equipment for this at Isis. We need to locate this guy and fast."

"No problem. Let's get on it now." He stood up and offered Kara his hand but she shook her head and smiled politely.

"I think I'll stay here with Clark for a little while."

"Okay. I'll call you later." She nodded as he bent down to kiss her on the cheek.

"I'll call as soon as I have anything. Take care of my cousin." Chloe said as she started to walk off with Oliver.

After they left, Kara crossed to the other side of the corridor and leaned against the wall next to Clark.

"You okay?" She asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah, well, I think so. I just wish I knew who was doing this." He glanced at the door again, wanting so badly to use his x-ray vision to see what was taking so long. He held himself back, barely. But he needed to know that Lois was all right. If he knew that, then he could focus on everything else properly.

"I'm sure Chloe and Oliver will come up with something soon." She said, trying to sound hopeful. He smiled at her and gave her a hug.

"Hey Smallville, any more of those going around?" Lois' cheery voice sounded behind him and he whirled round to see her standing there in the doorway, smiling brightly at him. Gently, he took her face in his hands, kissed her, then wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, pulling back to study her face intently.

"She's fine. I'm running some blood tests just to be on the safe side but whatever she was injected with doesn't seem to have had any affect and I can find no other problems." The doctor said, exiting the room behind her. "I'd like you to hang around for a little while though, until we get the results back."

"No problem, I'll be with my father. Thank you." Lois replied and shook the doctor's hand.

"My pleasure Miss Lane." He replied and walked off leaving Lois still standing in Clark's embrace.

"So now will you stop worrying?" She asked, chuckling lightly.

"For now." He replied, to which Lois simply rolled her eyes then turned her attention to the blonde woman standing behind Clark.

"Hey Kara, what are you doing here? I thought you were with Oliver."

"I was but he and Chloe have gone off to do something so…"

"Oh, did you find anything?" She said to Clark.

"Nothing that tells us anything new. We might have a lead on the guy who ordered your father's abduction. Chloe and Oliver are working on it."

"You don't sound too pleased about it. What's wrong?" He looked down at her, her keen eyes quickly assessing every emotion that crossed his face.

Lois had always been able to tell when something was on his mind and he never seemed to be able to hide his thoughts from her. The uneasy feeling he'd had in his gut ever since he'd read that letter had not gone away. In fact it had only intensified. From the sounds of it, Lex was not the one involved.

No, this was someone else but someone just as powerful as Lex and Clark couldn't for the life of him think who would have such a grudge against him. On top of all that he still felt guilty that Lois, her father and Lana had all been dragged into this because of him.

"It's nothing. I'm fine." He lied. He saw her eyes narrow for a second, clearly disbelieving, but then, dismissing it, the corners of her mouth tilted up into that smile that he loved so much.

"Uh guys?" They both looked at Kara who was wearing a confused expression. "Would someone mind telling me what actually happened yesterday?" 


	22. Chapter 21

**_Chapter Twenty One_**

"So what exactly are you going to do about Lana?" Oliver asked an hour later as he and Chloe sat in his office. Chloe looked up from behind the computer monitor to glance at him and he saw the look of sadness flash across her features.

"I don't know. I just can't believe this is actually happening. Who would be sick enough to actually want to create a replica of someone?"

"Well, you'd be surprised Chloe. Don't worry, I'll try and arrange something."

"What like a new identity?" Chloe asked, one eyebrow arched in question.

"Maybe. But we'll jump off that bridge when we get to it. How's it going? You have anything yet?"

Chloe let out a frustrated sigh and ran both hands through her blonde locks. She was tired, both mentally and physically and her anxiousness had only increased when she'd called the Isis foundation and received no answer. She was hoping that Lana had gone back to the Talon but she didn't have the time right now to go and check.

"Not yet. I've got the call logs registered in but without doing something highly illegal, I can't trace the number. And the name check is running slow too. All we can do for now is wait."

"I hate waiting." Oliver grumbled. He got up and walked over to his drinks counter, poured himself and Chloe and glass of water and took a seat next to her at the desk.

"So…" Chloe said, as she typed away.

"So…"

"How's things with you and Kara? You seem to be getting very friendly." She saw the slow smile creep up his face and couldn't help but chuckle. She'd never seen Oliver quite this smitten before. Well apart from when he had been dating Lois. But that was a long time ago and he'd changed a lot since then. So had Lois. They both had someone new in their lives now and Chloe found it more than a little amusing that both those people were from Krypton.

"It's good. Great actually. She's amazing, she's funny, she's incredibly sweet. I can't believe Clark never introduced me to her before now."

"Well she wasn't really here for that long and the last time she came back she was only here for a day. So don't take it personally." She laughed.

"Well Clark hasn't exactly tried hard to hide his irritation of the thought of his cousin dating me. I can't say I blame him. My track record speaks for itself." His expression sobered. "I've done things I'm not proud of… but I can't erase them. All I can do it try to forget them and move on. I want have a clean slate with Kara. She's…she's something special."

"Sounds to me like someone's in love." Chloe teased and let out a laugh when he glared at her and then cleared his throat.

"Let's just focus on what we came here for huh?" As he said that, a beep sounded out and Chloe's head snapped back to the screen in front of her.

"I got it! Daniel Phipps."

"You have an address?"

"Yeah, though I don't know if it's the same guy or not. It could be someone else. That might not be his real name remember?"

"Yeah but at this point, what do we have to lose by checking it out?" Oliver said, standing up.

"Right. I'll call Clark and get him over there as soon as possible."

"Okay, tell him to meet me there. I wanna go along on this one." Chloe looked up at him, about to protest, knowing that Clark would probably prefer to do this alone but he cut her off.

"I know what you're gonna say Chloe and let me just say this, whoever's orchestrating this thing knows about Clark. Do you wanna take the chance that they know about his weakness too? Lex certainly did and he wasn't afraid to use it either. We can't take any chances."

"No I guess you're right. But Oliver, be careful, you don't know what you could be walking into. Are you going as you or…" Oliver's mouth curved up into a grin.

"I think since it's the middle of the day and its in the city, I'd better go as myself."

* * *

Clark came to a stop in an alley near the house Chloe had sent him to.

"About time, what took you so long?" He whirled around to see Oliver standing behind him, smirking as he tapped his watch.

"What are you doing here?" Clark asked, his tone a little abrupt. He was on edge and having Oliver here was only making it worse.

He'd left the hospital as soon as Chloe had called, leaving Lois with Kara. He hadn't realised that he hadn't let go of Lois since she came out of that room until Kara made a joke about eventually prying himself away. He didn't want to let her go. He loved holding her in his arms, the feel of her body pressed up against his gave him a reassurance that he needed.

In the past, he'd always felt the heavy weight of burden on his shoulders, but since he met Lois, it never seemed so bad. She had a way of making everything that seemed so dire, seem trivial. She made him see the brighter side of what life had to offer.

He knew now that he wouldn't give up helping people for anything, this was what he was destined to do. Every morning he woke up feeling like he had a purpose. But that didn't mean he had to do it alone and he thanked whatever power made it possible for someone as special and loving as Lois, to love him back.

"Thought I'd tag along. Make sure you don't get into any trouble." Oliver said, his eyes crinkling in amusement.

"I'm fine by myself." Clark replied shortly and turned to leave the alley, with Oliver in tow.

"I don't doubt that but seriously Clark, you need to start thinking more before you just rush in. What if this guy knows about your weakness?" Clark paused and turned around, that thought hadn't really occurred to him. Thinking that someone else now knew about his powers was cause enough for him to worry.

"See? Always be prepared boy scout."

"Okay…" Clark said, he was on the edge of losing his patience. "If we're gonna do this, drop the names."

"Yes sir." Oliver said, and the way he said it made Clark want to smack the grin right off his face.

Without another word they crossed the empty street and headed toward the house. It was a fairly large house, three stories, large front garden, and a double garage. Outside, there sat a BMW, obviously whoever owned this house wasn't short of money.  
Clark quickly climbed the steps to the porch and knocked on the door.

"Don't you think we should check the place out first?" Oliver asked, looking around uncertainly.

"What and give him a chance to run if he's home? No, he won't be expecting the direct approach." Clark knocked again, louder this time.

"When did you…?"

"Sshh, someone's coming." Clark whispered. The door swung open and a young man Clark guessed to be about thirty, stood staring with wide eyes. Immediately he tried to slam the door shut and it was all the confirmation Clark needed to know that he knew exactly who he was. Clark pushed forward against the door with ease and sent the guy stumbling backwards.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" The man he assumed to be Daniel, shouted angrily. "You can't just storm into my house like this!"

"Well we just did. And if you tell us what we want to know, we'll leave quietly." Oliver said. Clark didn't trust himself to talk right now. He was too angry.

"What makes you think I know anything?" He asked, standing up and backing away from Clark. He was a formidable force when he was mad.

"You really wanna play that game? Come on, you obviously recognise him, why else would you try to slam the door in his face?" Oliver threw him a smirk but to his surprise, Daniel just smiled back and folded his arms over his chest.

"I'm not telling you a thing." He said, the defiance evident in his tone.

Oliver laughed and looked over at Clark. "Oh boy, you are so wrong." Before Daniel could even blink, Clark was holding him up against the wall, one arm dangerously close to pressing too hard against his neck.

"Go ahead, kill me. You're not getting anything out of me. If I tell you, I'm as good as dead anyway. So do your worst."

"Oh I don't have to kill you." Clark said menacingly and before he really thought about what he was doing, he threw Daniel into the next room, sending him crashing through his dining room table.

For a second Clark thought maybe he'd gone too far and wondered if he'd knocked him unconscious. But when he heard the man laughing as he struggled to get to his feet, he felt another flash of anger deep in his gut and he lunged for him again. This time though, Daniel was prepared.

Clark had no idea where it came from, but as soon as he saw Daniel take a swing, he knew it was going to hurt. The glowing green rock in his hand knocked him to the floor and the familiar feeling of the blood boiling within his veins took over.

As Daniel was getting ready to take another swing, Oliver ran into the room and tackled him. Clark watched in horror as Oliver seemed to transform before his eyes, punching the man relentlessly. Clark was hoping he was wrong, but part him thought that it looked like Oliver was enjoying it. In recent months Oliver had shown that he had a dark side, but this was something else.

"Oliver…" Clark groaned, a barely audible sound but it was enough to stop Oliver in his tracks. He looked down at the man and saw that he was a mess, blood pouring out of his nose and an angry looking cut on his lip. Oliver swallowed hard and stood up, taking a deep breath. He grabbed the rock out of the barely conscious man's hand and threw it out of the nearby window. After a moment, his strength slowly started returning and Clark stood up.

"What was that?" He asked Oliver, his tone accusatory.

"I got a little carried away."

"A little? Look at him, how are we supposed to get him to talk when he's unconscious Oliver?"

"He's not." Oliver nudged him with his foot, and a groan escaped him. "See? Just give him a minute and he'll be fine enough to tell us what we want to know."

"That's not the point! What were you doing? Trying to kill him?"

"No! I just wanted to make sure he knew we were serious and in case you've forgotten, he was holding a chunk of Kryptonite to your head. I was doing you a favour!" Oliver yelled.

"If this is the way you do favours for people, don't bother." Clark shook his head, disappointed in the man he thought was a friend, and bent down to pick Daniel up.

"I can't tell you." He murmured, so quietly that Clark had to lean in to hear him.

"I don't want to hurt you, I just need to know why you ordered the kidnapping of General Lane and who's really behind all this. I know you know what I'm talking about, so just save us both a lot of time here and tell me the truth."

"She'll kill me anyway." Daniel replied, a little louder now as he spat the blood out of his mouth.

"If you tell me what I need to know, I can protect you. But I need the truth." He stared into Daniel's eyes and for a moment he could see a trace of goodness there. Clark wasn't sure if he was imagining it since ten seconds ago he was holding a piece of meteor rock over him but he wasn't ready to give up yet. Maybe he could get through to him.

"Just tell me, please. I promise nothing will happen to you."

"You're a fool. The second I tell you, the game's over. I'm a dead man. She will not give up."

"She? Who's she?" Oliver asked, his voice quiet but firm.

"You won't be able to stop her. She believes she has her own mission to do."

"Okay, just stop!" Clark said in frustration. This was getting them nowhere. "I understand that you have some kind of loyalty to your boss but innocent people are getting hurt here. A man has already been killed."

While his face never betrayed him, his heart rate did. At the mention of a man being killed, Daniel's pulse immediately sped up and Clark knew he was looking into the eyes of a killer.

"You killed the professor." Clark stated and waited for the vehement denial. But none came. Instead he shrugged.

"I did what I had to do, I don't want to die. I know you can probably tear my head off right now but from what I've been told, you won't kill me. And you can't force me to say anything."

"He won't…but I will." Oliver said, moving a little closer.

"Back off Oliver." Clark warned. He looked over his shoulder and Daniel took that opportunity to try and wriggle free from Clark's grasp. But to no avail, Clark's hands simply tightened around his collar, firmly holding him in place.

"Look," Clark turned back to face him. "People I love are in danger. How would you feel if it were you? Do you have any loved ones?" Clark asked softly, hoping to appeal to this guy's compassionate side. If he even had one.

"Hey man, I couldn't care less where you're from, it's none of my business. But the boss, well let's just say you are her favourite person right now. She'll stop at nothing to get her own way. She ordered the killing of the professor after he'd finished his task because he was a risk she couldn't afford to take. She knew he would probably talk."

"And who's to say she won't do the same to you?" Oliver asked, once again standing back. "If you tell us what you know, I guarantee you I have the resources to help you."

Clark could see him weighing the options up in his head.

"Even if I help you, I know your type, you'll never let me go. Not knowing I killed a man."

Clark swallowed the lump in his throat and clenched his jaw. He was right. But Clark didn't have to let him think that.

"Don't be so sure. Just tell us who your boss is…please?" Clark was surprised at the softness of Oliver's tone. It was as if he knew what Daniel was going through. But that was a stupid thought, Oliver had never killed anyone, that Clark knew of anyway.

Daniel sighed and looked down at the ground. He was quiet for such a long time that Clark thought he really wasn't going to tell them anything.

"Okay, if I tell you, you have to promise me that you'll help me. I do not want to die."  
Both Clark and Oliver nodded. He took in a deep breath, but then paused.

"Who is it?" Clark asked again, he was beginning to lose his patience with this man.

Daniel looked up into Clark's eyes and smiled tightly. Deep down he was scared, but he was a man without compassion. He killed someone. Something that Clark couldn't understand. Life was precious, he valued the life on this planet. He knew he could never truly be one of them, but he had been raised as a human and as such, vowed to protect them at all costs. He wondered why Daniel was hesitating. Was this a trick? Was he up to something?

"I've had enough of this, Clark he obviously isn't gonna talk so I say we let the police handle him."

"No, he'll be out within a couple of hours anyway." Clark replied, never taking his eyes off Daniel's. "I'm giving you one last chance to tell me what you know and then…"

"What?" Daniel asked, a slight smirk on his face.

"You don't wanna know what happens then." Clark threatened. He knew he wasn't capable of carrying out those kind of threats, but he could be quite intimidating when he tried.

"Look how can I be sure that you won't rat me out to the cops?"

"I told you I'd help you." Oliver replied.

"Fine…" He huffed and blew out a breath. "The person who hired me, she really has an obsession with you man. You're like a God to her."

"Who?" Clark yelled impatiently, shaking the man a little in his anger, but the man's next words nearly floored him.

"It's Tess Mercer."


	23. Chapter 22

_**Chapter Twenty Two**_

Lana walked back into the Isis foundation later that afternoon feeling dejected and out of place. She didn't really want to be here, she had no right to be here. But she felt she owed it to Chloe to let her know where she had been. She was probably worried about her.

After being unable to find Clark, Lana had wandered around the streets of Metropolis, wondering what exactly she was supposed to do now and hoping against hope that she would see something she recognised. Something that would tell her this was all a lie and that she really was Lana Lang.

But with each corner she turned, each face she saw, her hopes quickly faded away and she was left feeling desolate and empty. Isis was empty as she walked inside, Chloe hadn't been back here but there was a message on the answering machine.  
She shed her jacket and hit the play button.

"Hey uh…Lana…are you there?" Lana frowned, it was even hard for Chloe to call her Lana now? Of course it would be. She was nothing but an impostor.

"I just thought I would check in and let you know I'm going to be a little while longer, I think we may have some leads. Call me back when you get this." She hesitated for a moment and then Lana heard the click ending the call.

She didn't even sound concerned that Lana hadn't been here when she called. Where else would Chloe think she would go? __

She's not your friend. None of them are. Not even Clark. Their loyalty lies with the woman you look like.  
  
She glanced around the place she had been told that she owned. None of this was hers. It was Lana Lang's. Her life was meaningless, pointless and completely unfair.

"Hello Lana." She spun around so fast that she lost her balance for a moment and Tess reached a hand out to steady her. "How are you?" She asked with sympathetic eyes.

"I've uh…I've had better days." She replied, but then a frown drew her brows together. She couldn't even say that anymore. How was she to know that she'd had better days? Before this week, she hadn't had any days at all.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I was just wondering if you'd thought anymore about my offer." Tess replied, slowly walking around her and taking a seat at the big round table in the centre of the room. Her eyes quickly assessing her, Lana took a seat across from her and clasped her hands together on top of the table.

"Not really. But I haven't really had a chance to." Then all trace of humour was gone from Tess' face. Suddenly she was staring at Lana with such seriousness that Lana wondered if she had said something wrong.

"Lana, I'm going to get straight to the point. I overheard Clark and Chloe talking earlier on today. They were talking about you and how they were going to 'deal with you' to put it politely. They said that you were a…" She stopped and watched Lana's face very carefully. Something inside Lana screamed at her to just get up and walk away from this woman, but her feet would not obey. Instead she sat routed to the spot and found herself answering.

"They found out that I was…well I'm not Lana Lang. They think that somebody called Lex Luthor created me as a replica."

"Wow, that's some story they've sold you." Tess smirked. Lana hung her head and studied her fingers.

"It's the truth. I'm a…clone. I'm not even a real person." She raised her head just a little to see the shock register on Tess' face and then a look of empathy.

"I'm sorry Lana. Listen, I can still help you if you want me to." She said earnestly.

Lana opened her mouth to refuse but then paused. What was she holding back for? It was clear that no one wanted her here, not Chloe, and especially not Clark. She needed a new life. Her own. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"How can you help me?" She asked.

"I could arrange for you to have a new life. A new identity, you would be free to live your life how you want to live it. No one need ever know about all of this."

The offer was tempting. Very tempting. But Lana was still sceptical. She looked at the woman sitting across from her, trying to gauge what she was going to gain out of this. Why was she so eager to help her?

"What's the catch?" Lana asked. "I mean why do you want to help me of all people?"

"The real Lana Lang and I didn't exactly part on friendly terms but we did have a moment where we each respected the other. She opened my eyes to something and for that I will always be grateful to her. This isn't a charity thing and it isn't a pity offer either. I simply just want to help." Either she was a very good actor or she was telling the truth because she was certainly convincing.

"Listen Lana, I know that you feel some kind of loyalty to these people but the truth is, you're not the Lana they know and love. How long are you willing to wait around here, with people who don't want you around?" Tess replied, her words may have struck a chord with Lana, but her voice wasn't harsh. It was soft and reassuring and Lana reasoned that she was only saying what Lana already knew.

"Okay, so what do you want from me?" Lana asked, because she knew that this wasn't a one way thing. Someone of Tess Mercer's stature would expect something in return.

"Nothing. I just need you to do one thing for me." She replied, her eyes twinkling as she leaned over the table, a smile creeping up her face that sent a chill running through Lana.

* * *

Clark found Lois sitting in the cafeteria of the hospital nursing a cold cup of coffee, staring off into space. She was so out of it that she physically jumped when he laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey," He said softly as he bent down to kiss her. "Where's Kara?"

"She went back to the farm to do your chores." She said with a wink.

He nodded and smiled tightly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm just a little tired. Where have you been? You've been gone for hours."

"Sorry." He replied and took a seat next to her. "Oliver and I found out something pretty big and I wanted to make sure I got my facts straight before I make my next move." He said glumly.

Though in truth he had no idea what his next move was. Of all the people he'd thought could be doing this to him, he'd never once thought that it would be Tess. She had arranged for Lois' father to be kidnapped, for Lana to be cloned. What was she up to? What possible reason could she have for all this? Whatever it was, he had a feeling that it was something pretty big.

After leaving Daniel with Oliver to sort out some arrangements (of which Clark had still not been happy about), he'd spent most of the afternoon trying to track Tess down. He'd been to the Planet and the mansion and she was nowhere to be found. Her assistant had told him that she was in emergency meetings all day and couldn't be reached but he knew that was a lie.

Clark was furious, all the little innuendos, all the prodding and digging. It all started to make sense now. He'd tried to see the good in her, wanted to believe that she was nothing like Lex. But now he was afraid that he'd tried so hard to see a good person, that he'd completely overlooked any possible signs that she wasn't. And now people were getting hurt because of that. He needed to find her and find out what exactly she was up to before anyone else suffered.

"Pretty big? Like what?" Lois asked.

Clark looked down at their linking hands and one corner of his mouth curved into a smile. Her thumb was absent-mindedly rubbing over the back of his hand in a calming gesture. Something that seemed to come natural to them lately.

"We found out who's behind everything that's been happening lately."

"Who?" Lois said, her attention at once completely focussed.

"Tess." He replied quietly, barely keeping the anger out of his voice. Her hand fell from his as her jaw dropped and her eyes became as wide as saucers.

"Tess Mercer!" She said, on the verge of yelling. She shook her head rapidly and raised a hand. "Wait a second, you're saying that all the crap I've been through not to mention Lana and you, and she's the one who did it all?" Clark nodded, not really knowing what to say to her. But he could see the anger bubbling just under the surface ready to be let loose at any second. "What the hell is she playing at Smallville?"

"I don't know. But I'm going to find out."

"So how did you find this out?" She asked, anger seething through her tone.

"There was a guy, I'm guessing he was Tess' go to guy, the one who arranged everything for her. After some...persuasion, he told us pretty much everything. Oliver's taking care of him." Clark said, purposefully leaving out the details of how exactly they got the information out of him. He was still trying to process that himself. Oliver had seemed so dark in that place. The way he had viciously attacked that man was something Clark didn't want to see again.

"I don't understand Clark. What is she up to? Why bring my father into this? She doesn't even know him,"

"I don't know, I've been trying to find her all afternoon."

"So what now? Do we go to the police?" She asked and Clark hated seeing the worried expression on her beautiful face. He would rather see her angry then worried.

"With what? You know we don't have any evidence and the word of some guy isn't going to go very far with them."

"Yeah but we can't…" Lois was cut off by the shrill ringing of Clark's phone. He took it out of his jacket pocket and answered.

"Oliver what's wrong?"

"Clark, he's gone."

"What?" Clark yelled. "What do you mean he's gone?"

"I slipped out for a few minutes to make a few calls and when I came back, he was gone." Clark didn't miss the guilty tone of his voice. "Before you go off on one, I know its my fault, I was supposed to be watching him. But we need to focus on getting him back, you can be angry at me later."

"Oliver! How are we supposed to find him now?" He let out a huge sigh and said. "I'll be there in a few minutes." And then without waiting for a reply, he hung up and looked at Lois.

"Let me guess, when it rains it pours?" She asked. He nodded slowly.

"I need to go and see Oliver. Are you going to be okay here?"

"Yeah don't worry about me Smallville I'm a big girl I can take care of myself." She said with a smile.

He leaned in closer to her and claimed her mouth with his. The feel of her soft lips against his was enough to sooth away his troubles and for a moment everything disappeared and it was just the two of them. When he reluctantly pulled back, he raised his hand and caressed her cheek.

"Promise me you won't leave here until I'm back." She rolled her eyes but then nodded before kissing him again. He drank in her warmth, hugging her close to him.

"Chloe's coming back later anyway, so I'll just go and sit with dad again. Be careful Smallville. We don't know what Tess is capable of."

"I will. I'll see you later."

* * *

Tess paced the floor of the Luthor penthouse in Metropolis anxiously. She was fuming. This was not going the way she had planned. She fully expected Clark to storm in here any second now, she had been told that he was looking for her earlier and had seemed quite adamant in wanting to see her. So she had tried not to stay in one place for too long.

Her meeting with Lana had gone as she'd expected but that was only one of a few things that seemed to be going right at the moment. The door buzzed and she pressed a button to see who was on the other side. She opened it and turned to face her visitor.

"Well, you have some explaining to do." She said angrily, folding her arms in front of her as she leaned back against the desk.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. If I refused to talk they would've taken me straight to the police. So I waited until I had an opportunity to slip away. Though I don't know if I was followed," Daniel said, standing before her looking sheepish.

She should've known better than to trust these idiots. Foolishly she had thought that using ex-convicts to exact her plan was good. They were less likely to talk to anyone, they all had something they could be squeezed with. Or so she had thought. It had taken a lot of time and money to get the two men that were arrested to keep their mouths shut. But this one, he had done more damage than either of those two could.

"You'd better pray you haven't." She said coldly. "So I take it he knows everything now?"

"Not all of it. I didn't tell him everything." Tess closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was tired and frustrated.

"Well, I guess I just have to move ahead sooner than I had planned. My reasons for doing this still stand. I didn't want Clark to know it was me but I have a duty to do this regardless. Okay, you know what you have to do." She said, looking him square in the eyes. He gulped and nodded. "Then go."

He walked out and she turned back to her desk. She had mixed emotions about all this. She knew what she was doing was right, but she couldn't help feeling that she had become the very person she hated the most. Lex Luthor. But she was too far into this to turn back now.

* * *

Lois headed into the alley at the side of the hospital and looked around. It was empty. She quickly reached inside her bag and found what she was looking for. Dragging the last cigarette she kept for emergencies out, she lit it up, felt the smoke seep into her lungs and started coughing violently.

"Ugh! That's disgusting." She said, wrinkling her nose up as she stubbed it out. She shook her head, disappointed in herself for even allowing the thing to touch her lips.

She had done so well giving up all those years ago and here she was about to ruin it. She knew exactly what Clark and Chloe would say if they caught her and she didn't want Clark to look at her like she knew he would. Disappointed. The same way her father had looked at her when he'd found out years ago.

With a heavy sigh she turned to head back into the hospital. She heard footsteps behind her but before she could turn to see who it was, she felt a heavy clunk against her head and even though she tried hard to fight it, she soon found herself being wrapped up in a cocoon of swirling black darkness.

To Be Continued...

**A/N: **So sorry for the long wait everyone, I've been super busy lately, but I'll be updating more regularly from now on :)


	24. Chapter 23

_**Chapter Twenty Three**_

Chloe sat down on the stool near the window at the Coffee Stop waiting for her order. She was on her way to the hospital to check on Lois but after a long afternoon with Oliver, she needed something to eat and she guessed that Lois could do with something too.

She was more than a little worried that she had yet to hear from Lana. She'd left numerous messages at both Isis and her apartment but with no reply. Where on earth could she be? Chloe knew that she should go and check on her but right now, she wanted to make sure that Lois was okay. She knew the doctor had given her a clean bill of health and her test results had come back as normal, but there was still something that niggled away at the back of her mind.

She felt nervous, on edge. Finding out that Tess was involved in all this had her seriously worried. She was, after all, Lex's protégé. She had learned from the master, so to speak. With a sigh, she collected her order from the owner who always had a friendly smile for her, and walked out onto the street.

"Damn!" She yelled as she bumped into someone, knocking the bag out of her hands and onto the floor in front of her. With its contents now lining the pavement, she looked up to see who she had bumped into. Her breath hitched in her throat as she found herself looking up into the smiling eyes of her husband. Well soon-to-be ex-husband, she had to remind herself, trying to ignore the stinging that came with that realisation.

"Jimmy." She said breathlessly.

"Hey Chloe…uh…how are you?" He asked uncomfortably. It was the first time she had spoken to him since receiving the letter from his lawyer. Seeing him standing in front of her, she was hit with a sudden wave of longing and she realised how much she truly had missed him.

"I'm okay. How are you?"

"I…could be better." He replied, his eyes lingering on hers. His smile hadn't faded and he seemed happy to see her.

"In what way?" She asked, confused. The expression on his face didn't look like one of a man who wanted nothing more to do with his wife. He shrugged his shoulders and sent her a shy smile.

"I uh…well…" He sighed. "Can we go somewhere and talk?" He asked and Chloe felt a little bubble of hope in her gut.

"Well I uh, have to get to the hospital…"

"Are you okay?" He asked, his face taking on a concerned look as his eyes made a gentle assessment of her.

"Oh yeah I'm fine. It's not me. Lois is there visiting her father and I know she's gotta be pretty hungry by now." They both looked down at the mess and grimaced.

"Well I don't think she's going to want to eat that after it's been there. How about we go back inside and get another order and we can talk while we wait. Please?"

"Okay," She nodded, she didn't trust her voice to be able to say much else, and followed him back inside the Coffee Stop.

* * *

Kara guided the last horse into his stall and bolted the door behind him. He peeked his head out and she giggled as he nuzzled her cheek. Clark always liked to have the horses safe inside the barn when it started to get dark and since he was busy with other problems at the moment, she figured it was the least she could do for him. She just wished that she could do something else to help him. But this seemed to be an issue he needed to take care of personally.

Oliver had been rather quiet all afternoon, she had only received one call from him earlier to say that he was sorry for abandoning her, but she had told him that it was fine and she understood. And she did. She knew that Clark and Oliver were friends and if one needed help than the other was right there for them. It was something she found to be very attractive about Oliver.

She was still a little unsure of where exactly her relationship with Oliver was headed, but she found herself very eager to find out. "Ah you're just a cutie aren't you Lazaro? I'm so glad that Clark gave you to me. He's such a softie sometimes, don't tell him I said that though." She said with a laugh as Lazaro munched a little feed from her palm.

"Lazaro huh? That's a strange name." Kara spun around quickly to see Lana standing directly behind her.

"Lana, hey…what are…if you're looking for Clark he's not here." Kara said, quickly recovering from the surprise.

"Actually I came to see you." Lana replied with a sad smile as she stepped around Kara and started petting the horse.

"Me? Why?" Lana didn't answer straight away. She just stared at the horse, petting him and letting him nuzzle her hand and Kara had the overwhelming feeling that something was very wrong.

"I just um…I really need someone to talk to. I can't go to Clark, or Chloe. I need someone who knew me before…well you knew Lana when she stayed here last year. I need someone who isn't emotionally involved."

"Why?" Kara asked, confused.

"I just feel that I remind them too much of…the real Lana and I just need to talk to someone you know?"

"You know about that?" Kara asked, shocked. Lana nodded meekly, her eyes avoiding Kara's as she took a long sweeping look around the barn.

"I overheard Chloe talking to Clark today. I just…I can't believe that such a thing is even real you know?"

"I'm so sorry you had to find out that way…" Kara stopped herself just in time. She had been about to say Lana, but then she reasoned that for all intents and purposes, she was Lana. At least, that was who she'd thought she was and just because she'd found out she wasn't exactly real, it didn't mean they had to stop calling her that.

"I just…I don't really know what to do with myself now. I mean, I don't think I can stay around here with Clark and Chloe. Especially not when Clark's so happy with Lois." Lana paused, a frown appearing on her face. "Why on earth did it take Clark and Lois so long to get together? From what Chloe told me, they've been dancing around each other for years. But from what I've seen over the last few days, it's pretty clear that there's no one else for him but her. He loves her."

"I guess they only just realised what they meant to each other. It was always there, but I think lately, working closely together and things like that, it kind of pushed them to admit it. I have to admit that I've never seen him this happy before. It's nice." Kara smiled and then winced at her own words. Talk about twisting the knife in a little deeper, she thought.

But then again, it was the real Lana who'd had a relationship and then a very painful break-up with Clark. But still, this woman had memories of her and Clark being together and even though she knew they weren't real, surely seeing him with Lois had to hurt a little.

Lana nodded and turned back around to face her. Kara felt helpless, she didn't know what to say or do to make any of this better.

"Kara, can I ask you a favour?"

"Sure."

"Well, Clark told me about you being his cousin and I know that you have the same abilities that he does…"

"He wishes…" Kara laughed.

"Well that's the thing, I know that you can fly and I was just wondering…" She trailed off, looking a tad embarrassed about asking.

"Wondering what?" Kara pressed, gently.

"I would really love to see some of the world before…well in case anything happens to me."

"You can't think like that Lana, I'm sure Clark and Chloe are thinking of a way to help you. In fact I know they are."

"Yeah but no one knows what's going to happen in the future. Think about it, I'm not supposed to be in this world. There's no place for me here. I wasn't born into it, I was created. Somewhere along the way, the world will find a way to correct that." Kara pursed her lips together sceptically. Though she had to admit that Lana had a point.

"I was just wondering if you would take me somewhere." Lana asked shyly.

"Where would you like to go exactly?"

"I don't know, I just want to see something you know? Reaffirm that my time here wasn't a complete waste."

"I understand." Kara replied, nodding her head. "I think I know just the place. I asked Clark about it once, he said that he'd never been there but that it was supposed to be really beautiful so I took a trip over there."

"Where?"

"Egypt. I'm going to show you the pyramids." Lana smiled appreciatively.

"Can we go now or do you have something else going on?"

Kara thought for a moment, Oliver was tied up and Clark was with him. Lois was at the hospital and Chloe was probably with her. So that meant that she was on her own. She wouldn't actually mind getting out of Smallville for an evening. It would give her something to do and she loved visiting the pyramids, they fascinated her.

"No, we can go now. Come on," She led Lana outside the barn, wrapped a strong arm around her waist and looked up into the night sky.

"Hold on tight." She said, and then took off. She heard Lana's sharp intake of breath as they soared into the sky and looked down to see her face, eyes wide open in amazement, taking in everything around her. Kara smiled, she wasn't good with words, she wasn't subtle or as sensitive as humans were. But she felt glad that she could at least do this one small thing for Lana.

* * *

Tess sat in the study of the Luthor mansion, her mind going through everything at a fast pace. She was tired, but she had no time for sleep. She needed to keep going, everything had to be timed perfectly. As she glanced at her computer screen, she felt a momentary pang of intense guilt go through her. The knowledge that she now would be in the same class as Lex saddened her.

But she had a duty. If no one else was going to do it, she would have to do it herself. And so, with a heavy heart, she had. She thought of Clark, of the look on his face as he realised what was about to happen. It pained her to think of the heartbreak he would feel. But it was…necessary. She had wanted to be by his side as he accepted who he truly was. But now, that was never going to happen. The shrill sound of the phone beside her, shocked her back to reality. She sighed and picked it up.

"Yes?" She listened for a moment and then said. "Send him in." She replaced the receiver and stood up. Daniel walked into the room and stood before her with a smile on his face. She hated this man, his sadistic nature unnerved her. He was a killer. She had no doubt that he was enjoying this mission.

"You have her?" She asked, he nodded.

"Yes ma'am. She's in place."

Tess swallowed hard. "And Lana?"

"She's with the girl."

"And everything else is ready?"

"Yes. Just waiting for your word." He replied, his face twisting into a grin.

"Good…then it's time."

* * *

Clark ran his hand through his hair for what felt like the thousandth time and sighed. Oliver sat behind his desk, tapping away at his computer, going through the security footage to see which way Daniel had headed when he had left here earlier. It was almost like he had just vanished and Clark knew that it had been planned all along. He had never intended to help them, he had simply told them what he was sure Tess wanted them to know. Or maybe not. Maybe Tess had wanted to keep her name out of this. Whatever this was.

"Nothing!" Oliver said, slamming his fist down on the desk so hard, Clark was sure that the glass would break.

"He can't have just disappeared." Clark replied.

"Well he has." Oliver snapped. "Dammit! I should never have left him alone."

"No you shouldn't." Clark agreed, but he couldn't let Oliver take all the blame. Had he not been so eager to get back to Lois, he would've stayed here with them. "But there's no point in going over it now. There's only one thing left to do." Oliver looked over at him and raised an inquisitive brow.

"I have to go and see Tess Mercer."

"Do you think that's wise Clark? Whatever she's up to, you're the reason behind it. I don't think it would be safe…"

"Oliver, people I care about are getting hurt one by one and I need to put a stop to it." He stood up to leave. "I'll call you if I get anything."

"Whoa wait a second Clark. Do you really think I'm going to let you walk in there alone?"

"You don't have a choice." Clark stated. And before Oliver could reply, he was gone, leaving a gust of wind in his wake. Oliver let out a groan and grabbed his jacket. He needed to gear up, he could feel something coming and it wasn't going to be pleasant.

* * *

Clark super sped to the very centre of Metropolis and stopped. He tuned in his hearing and listened hard. She had to be around here somewhere. Suddenly a gut wrenching fear sliced through him. _Lois_. He took off in the direction of the hospital and started panicking when Lois was nowhere to be found. He checked with the nurses at their station. Each one told him they had no idea where she was. One nurse told him that she had seen her going outside for some fresh air but she didn't remember seeing her return.

Clark's panic kicked up a notch as he heard this. He had no idea how he knew something had happened, he just felt it. Like he was connected to her. He took out his cell phone and dialled Chloe's number. It rang for a few minutes and then went straight to voicemail. _Damn. Chloe where are you?_

He left an urgent message telling her to call him right away and then tried the phone at the farm. No answer. Where was everyone? He left another message on the answering machine telling Kara that Lois had gone missing and he needed her help to find her. He put his phone back in his pocket and left the hospital. As he paused outside to listen, a familiar voice whispered in his head.

"Good…then it's time." It was Tess. "Get out of here. I'll call you when I need you."

Clark stood completely still, torn between trying to look for Lois and racing to see Tess. Though he knew searching for Lois at this point would be fruitless, Tess obviously was the one responsible and therefore, she was where he needed to start.

Taking in a deep, shaky breath, Clark sped off, following the direction of Tess' voice. She was in Smallville. At the mansion. How many times had he gone there in the past to confront Lex? He'd lost count. But he now feared that history was repeating itself. Only with a different player. But one who was no less dangerous.

He arrived five minutes later and sped past the security guards without any of them even noticing the breeze that he left behind.  
Bursting through the main doors of the study, Clark paused, watching as Tess' eyes grew wide and looked at him in shock.

"Where is she?" He growled, stalking towards her. She quickly stood up but remained behind her desk.

"I assume you mean Lois?" She said, slowly.

"Don't play games with me Tess…" He warned. "Where is Lois?"

"She's safe." She replied. "For now. But the outcome of that all depends on you Clark."

"What are you talking about? What's going on?" He said, getting angrier by the minute.

"I told you, I just wanted to help you become who you're supposed to be. You see Clark, Lex was clearly wrong about you. He thought you were here to destroy our world. That you came in the disguise of a friend and then when the time came, you would turn on us and destroy us."

"Lex was crazy…and it would appear, you are too."

"Maybe, maybe not." She conceded. "But I do know one thing. You are our salvation Clark. You are the one who is destined to protect this planet. You can't tell me that being the Red-Blue-Blur was forced on you. That identity was entirely of your making. Because you want to help people. Because you are," She smiled. "The hero that this world so desperately needs." She paused and looked at him with awe. It made him angrier.

"Where the hell is Lois?" He yelled again. "What have you done to her?"

"Clark, how long are you going to let silly human desires control you?"

"Tess…" He growled again, his voice menacingly low. He was astounded that he could sound so calm, when inside he was a wreck.

"Listen to me Clark. You need to put your own desires aside and focus on what's best for this world. We need you and I know you love Lois but…sometimes we have to sacrifice the things we love the most to do the right thing."

If Clark had not known any better, he could've sworn that he was standing before a female version of Jor-El. With one exception, Jor-El would never take a life and Clark was getting increasingly scared that Tess was going to do just that. Not just any life, but Lois' and Clark felt his throat instantly dry up at the thought.

"Who do you think you are?" He said, staring her straight in the eye. She didn't even flinch but her expression did take on a sullen look.

"This has to be done Clark. I'm sorry it has to be this way but while you can't see past your own wants, you are never going to be able to help this planet. And I know you want to."

"Why bring Lois' father into this? And Lana? You had her cloned, why? What possible sick reason do you have for any of this?" His anger only increased when she shrugged unapologetically. He had to clench his fists at his sides to keep from lashing out. If he made the wrong move now, it could cost Lois her life.

"I needed her out of your life but she's stronger than I gave her credit for. I thought for sure once Lana came back, Lois Lane would undoubtedly be out of there." Clark stared at her, incredulously.

"You're telling me you went through all the trouble of having a real living person _created_…" He said that word with disgust. "Just so that you could get Lois out of my life? Do you realise how utterly insane and crazy that is? I mean…I just can't believe someone could do something like that, I was wrong about you. You're worse than Lex Luthor. What makes you think you have the right to play God like that?"

"No she had another purpose Clark. She was supposed to guide you to becoming what you need to be."

"And how was she supposed to do that, you gave her no memories Tess!"

"She only had memories of you Clark. There was a reason for that." Tess stated plainly. Clark couldn't believe how she could stand in front of him, so composed and without a hint of remorse while he could feel the bile rise up in the back of his throat.

"And General Lane? Where does he fit in to all this?" Clark asked, he heard the resignation in his own tone and frowned. He just couldn't believe this was happening. Lois was in danger…because of him.

"I needed a plan B Clark, bait, and it proved to be very effective after all. How is he anyway?" Clark fixed her with a cold glare.

"Do you really think I'm going to answer that?" He said, though he realised that she hadn't told him exactly what 'Plan B' entailed.

"No I guess not. Well anyway, look I know you're pretty angry with me and that's okay. I understand that to get you where you should be, I would naturally have to play the villain. It may sound like a pretty sick and twisted way of doing things but nevertheless, I felt that the time had come to take action. You've been mulling around the farm and the Planet for too long now Clark. You need to move on."

"You're sick Tess. You need help."

"Maybe. But it doesn't change things now does it?" She said with a sad smile and for the first time, Clark saw a glimpse of regret in her eyes. It only served to anger him further. What right did she have to play with people's lives like they were puppets on a string? And because of what? Because of what she believed about him? That he was some sort of saviour sent from the stars to rescue her race?

He watched as her eyes drifted down to his still clenched fists and to his shock she laughed. She actually laughed. Clark's resolve was nearly undone, he leaned forward and placed his hands on the back of the chair facing the desk. His fingers were digging into the metal frame, bending it into the shape of his grip.

"Where is Lois?" He asked again.

"I'm so sorry it had to be this way Clark." Tess said, ignoring his repeated question. He moved quickly, too quickly for her to even have time to flinch, and grabbed her by the shoulders, squeezing hard until she cried out.

"Where is she?" He shouted into her face, anger contorting his features. He didn't see her hand reach into her pocket and pull out a remote. She pressed a button and suddenly, a large flat screen monitor appeared from behind the bookshelves. On it were two pictures.

On the left hand side of the screen, an image of Lois tied to a chair, gagged and blindfolded, made Clark's grip on Tess loosen as he took it in. The right hand side showed a bird's eye view of the city of Metropolis. Tess took advantage of Clark's shock and slipped out from under his grasp and crossed to the other side of the room.

"What are you doing Tess?" Clark whispered as he looked at Lois' hunched form, she looked like she was in pain. He touched the screen tentatively, as if he could somehow reach through it to her, but then brought his hand down, clenched tightly into a fist.

"It's time for you choose... _Kal-El_." She said and he spun around, shocked at the sound of his Kryptonian name coming from her lips.

"Choose?" He asked, his voice thick.

"There is a bomb located somewhere in the city." Tess said glumly. She wasn't enjoying this, he realised, but she was determined to see it through. "You have exactly fifteen minutes to find it and take it out, but…"

"But what?" He almost screamed.

"This is where you will truly be put to the test. You can never become the hero the world needs until you face your biggest challenge."

Fear gripped Clark's heart in a cast iron grip. "Tell me where she is." He said again, but this time his tone was softer, almost pleading. Tess shook her head slowly, her expression sympathetic but still calculating.

"She is…well I'm sure you would be able to find her in time. She is out of the way of any civilian life. You now have to make your decision Clark. Choose to be a real hero and save countless lives, or…choose to save one life for your own selfish reasons."

"You put a bomb on Lois?" He shrieked. His heart started beating so fast he was afraid it would give out.

"You don't have a lot of time Clark, both bombs are set to go off at the exact same time, the clock is ticking. I suggest you start looking." Clark let out a low growl and stormed over to her, this time grabbing her by the throat.

"What are you?" He asked, looking her over with revulsion and he had the brief satisfaction of seeing the fear in her eyes as a shudder ran through her.

Her eyes quickly flitted over to the screen and Clark turned to see the image on the right had changed to a picture of the bomb, the clock now reading 14:25. Reality came crashing down on Clark and he suddenly felt as if he couldn't breath. He needed to find that bomb and fast. But he didn't want to let Tess out of his sights.

He closed his eyes and took in a deep, painful breath. He looked back to Tess, her eyes were still fearful but she would not back down. He realised that she was truly worse than Lex Luthor ever had been. Whatever her misguided, insane notions were, she was serious.

And so, he tapped her lightly on the head, rendering her unconscious. He laid her on the floor and took off, speeding so fast he was sure he wouldn't be able to stop.


	25. Chapter 24

_**Chapter Twenty Four**_

Chloe took another nervous sip of her coffee as she and Jimmy sat opposite each other inside the café. Jimmy had insisted on paying for the second order of food she was going to take to Lois, and had also ordered two coffees for them to drink while they waited. It was nice, she thought, that he still remembered what her favourite coffee was.

"So…how have you been?" Jimmy asked. "I mean really."

"Its been…hard. I've missed you." She replied, keeping her eyes glued to her mug as she spoke. She didn't want to think of what his answer would be to that. He had filed for divorce. He'd told her he never wanted to see her again. She could never in a million years forget the hurt in his eyes as he found out what she had done. And yet, he was here, drinking coffee with her and asking her how she'd been.

"I missed you too Chlo. I didn't realise just how much I would. Look…" He paused and shifted in his seat. She looked up at him, he was tense, and she thought, or maybe hoped, that he was just as nervous as she was right then.

"I know I was a little hard on you…"

"I understand Jimmy. I deserved it all. It was my fault."

"You didn't deserve to find out about the divorce like that. I'm sorry." Chloe didn't trust her voice to speak at that moment, she was so happy to be hearing these words, so she simply nodded.

"But…well I miss you Chlo. I wanted to be able to forget all about you. I wanted to put you out of my life for good but I find myself thinking about you all the time. You hurt me so much. I actually think I hated you for a while back there." He confessed. Chloe held her breath, hearing this was harder than she'd thought it would be.

"But even though all that happened, I just…I…" He was cut off by the sound of Chloe's phone ringing. She frowned down at the screen, hesitating. "Is that Clark?" He asked, a strange tone in his voice. Knowing how Jimmy sometimes got insecure about Clark being so close to her, she silenced her phone and let it go to voicemail. She needed this time with Jimmy and she knew that Clark would understand that.

"No, it was…Lois." She lied. He looked at her with suspicious eyes for a few moments but then nodded. Whether he knew she was lying or not, Chloe couldn't tell.

"Jimmy…I'm so sorry for everything. I wish that I could take it all back. But it happened and I'm not proud of myself. But I would like it if we could stay friends at least." She asked hopefully. Her spirits fell when he started laughing.

"Friends? Chloe, do you honestly think I could be friends with you?" He asked, still chuckling. She didn't know which hurt worse, the fact that he was laughing at her, or the fact that he didn't even want to be friends with her. If that was the case, then what was he doing here now?

"I had hoped…" He stopped her by placing his hand over hers on the table.

"Chloe, of course we'll always be friends but I can't be _just_ friends with you. I love you too much for that." He laughed a little at the shock on her face. "Look, I know the past few months can't just be erased. But I just…I don't think I'm strong enough to stay away from you anymore. I need you Chloe."

"What are you saying?" She asked, her stomach felt like it had butterflies in it.

"I'm saying…that I want us to try again. To start slow and see where it takes us. How about you?"

"I would love that Jimmy." She replied, breathlessly. In her pocket, her phone started vibrating again. She ignored it, and the guilty feeling along with it. She was too happy right now to interrupt this or screw it up.

"I instructed my lawyer to stop the divorce proceedings. I don't know if I can easily forget what you did Chloe, but I can forgive. And starting now, that's what I intend to do." His light-hearted smile made Chloe's knees buckle and she was grateful that she was already sitting down.

"Are you sure this is what you really want Jimmy? You were so angry, so hurt. I never meant to cause you that much pain I swear."

"I know." He said, his smile fading and she feared she'd said too much. "But I really don't wanna talk about that anymore Chloe."

"Okay." She replied. She stared down at their hands for a moment, reacquainting herself with his touch, she had missed that. She never fully realised how much she loved him until it had been gone. She would do anything to get that back. The waiter came over at that moment and plopped a bag down on the table in front of her with a smile.

"You're order Miss Sullivan." He said politely.

"Thank you. I guess I really should get this to Lois. She'll be starving." Chloe said to Jimmy once the waiter had left.

"Okay, do you mind if come with you? I kinda miss Lois." He said.

"You miss Lois?" Chloe asked, a little surprised. Jimmy was always a little shy in Lois' company. Well he said shy, but Chloe knew he was sometimes a little scared of her cousin.

He shrugged. "What can I say? She grows on you." They stepped outside and as Jimmy was unlocking his car, Chloe checked her voicemail quickly. Her eyes grew wide as she listened to Clark's terrified voice.

"Chloe?" Jimmy asked, walking around to her. "What is it?"

"I don't know but Clark sounds really panicked, I have to call him." She said, looking at him apologetically. He nodded and she dialled.

"Chloe where are you?" Clark's voice boomed through the phone.

"Clark calm down, I'm just on my way to see Lois at the hospital…"

"She's not there Chloe. Tess has her. She's hidden her somewhere and she's…she has a bomb on her Chloe." Chloe could feel the blood drain from her face as Clark's words hit home.

"Oh God!"

"There's more. She's planted one in the city too. I have to choose." He said with disgust. "I have to choose between saving Lois and saving Metropolis. Both bombs are wired to go off at the same time. In exactly twelve minutes. Chloe if I can't find her…" He stopped, she could hear the anger and fear in his voice.

"What do you need me to do?" She asked, her hand reached out for Jimmy's and he took it, offering her some comfort.

"Go to Isis, as quick as you can, see if you can scan the city schematics and see where she could be hiding this bomb. Somewhere it could do a lot of damage." Chloe squeezed her eyes shut, she couldn't take hearing the trembling in his voice.

"I'm on it. Wait a second, what about Kara, can't she help?"

"I can't get hold of her. She's vanished." Clark said flatly.

"Okay, what about Lois?" Chloe asked.

"I'm on it Chloe. I won't let anything happen to her."

But she noticed that he didn't say 'I promise' and that was not a good sign. She suddenly realised that he really was going to have to make a choice and her blood ran cold at the thought. No matter which one he chose, the other would automatically suffer because of it.

Her heart clenched painfully as she thought of how he must be feeling right now. But the worst feeling she had, robbed her of the power to speak. She loved Clark and she knew him, she knew that he would do the right thing no matter what the cost. And in this case, for that to happen, her cousin would have to die.

* * *

"Wow!" Lana exclaimed excitedly as she and Kara landed on top of one the pyramids in Egypt. "It's so…breathtaking."

"It is isn't it?" Kara responded. She watched Lana as she took a very careful step towards the edge. Her wide eyes were drinking in everything with fascination but she still looked as if she were worried about something.

"Lana?" Kara said. Lana turned around to face her with a smile. "Is everything okay?"

"Of course. Well aside from the obvious. Thank you for doing this Kara."

"Any time Lana." Kara stood back and watched her carefully. "Does it bother you?"

"What?"

"Being called Lana. Now that you know the truth about who you are."

"Or who I'm not." Lana replied glumly. "But no, honestly, I still think of myself as Lana Lang. But I know that can't continue for much longer. I can't keep using someone else's identity." She replied, looking out over the vast landscape, the sun warming her face. She sighed, contented.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I uh…well Tess said she could help me find a new life." Lana said, turning so that Kara could no longer see her face.

Kara frowned and said. "I don't think that's wise Lana. You can't trust someone like her."

"Do you know her?"

"No, I've only met her once but from what Clark tells me, she isn't the kind of person you should be around. I'm sure that someone else can help you. Maybe Oliver could arrange something." That brought Lana's head up. She looked over at Kara with curious eyes.

"Oliver?"

"Yeah, Oliver Queen. He's more than able to help you. And a lot more trustworthy than Tess Mercer. This kind of favour does not come without a price with someone like her. With Oliver, what you see is what you get and I know he would never ask for anything in return for this."

"Do you trust him?" Lana asked. Kara smiled brightly, something she had started doing a lot whenever his name was mentioned.

"Yes. Completely. He can help you Lana." She paused, taking in Lana's worried expression. "What is it that has you so worried?"

"I…" Lana paused, biting her lower lip. "I'm so sorry Kara." She whispered.

"Sorry? What for?" It took Lana a long time to answer and Kara could see that she was thinking very deeply about something that was troubling her. As if she were having an internal debate with herself.

"You're going to hate me. And you've all been so kind to me…"

"What are you saying?" Kara asked, taking a step towards her.

"I never meant to hurt anyone Kara. Least of all Clark."

"Lana you're not making any sense!" Kara exclaimed, worried now.

Lana carried on as if she hadn't heard her. "But she was so nice and the offer was so tempting. She said that I wouldn't have to do much. Just get you out of the way for a while." Kara reached out and grabbed her shoulders gently turning Lana to face her.

"Lana, tell me what's going on. Please!"

"Tess is up to something bad Kara. She didn't tell me what, just that I had to keep you occupied long enough for her to…" She trailed off, a pained expression appearing on her face.

"Lana? What is she up to?" Kara shouted but Lana didn't hear her. She clutched her chest, her face became deathly pale.

"Lana, what's wrong?" Kara asked, panicked.

"Kara, you have to get back to Metropolis. She's taken Lois…" Lana whispered, her breath coming in short ragged gasps.

"Are you okay?" She asked, grabbing her by the shoulders to steady her.

"I will be, just get us back there. Now!"

Without another word, Kara scooped Lana up in her arms and flew off faster than she had ever flown before. She had made round the world trips in less than fifteen minutes before, but something inside was screaming at her to get back to Metropolis as fast as she could. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that this kind of speed couldn't be good for Lana, but she had no time to think about that now. She had an overwhelming feeling that Clark needed her.

She gazed down at Lana and saw that she was even paler than before and she could see a sheen of moisture on the young woman's face. She couldn't find it within herself to be angry with her at that moment, she looked so fragile and lost. But Kara also cursed herself for not seeing that this was all part of a plan. She should've sensed that something was wrong when Lana had asked to be taken somewhere.

But Kara had just been eager to help, to make Lana feel a little more comfortable after the news she had received. How could she have been so stupid? She ducked her head lower and willed her body to move faster. She moved through the night air, faster than any airplane, the very air seemed frozen all around her, she just hoped that she wouldn't be too late.

* * *

Clark stood at the top of the Daily Planet, his eyes scanning the city beneath him. His heart was still pounding fiercely in his ears and his gut was constantly clenched in fear. He knew that there was no way he would be able to get to both bombs in time. Even if he could find the first one and disarm it, he would still have no idea where Lois was. The clock was still ticking. Nine minutes.

Nine minutes until he would lose something very important to him. He loved Lois with every fibre of his being, but he couldn't stand by and watch hundreds of innocent lives be destroyed either. He had never before felt such hatred towards anyone as he did with Tess right now. Not even Lex. Not even the memory of standing up on this very rooftop with Lana, preparing to disarm the Kryptonite bomb, could compare to what he was feeling now.

It scared him a little, to be feeling hate like this, on such a degree. But he was also scared that he was about to lose the most important thing in his life. A few short weeks had passed since he and Lois had declared their love for one another and he honestly didn't know if he would have the will to go on if anything happened to her.

He glanced down at his hands, they were making finger shaped indents into the brickwork. This was useless. He felt useless. He couldn't just stand up here waiting for something to happen. He needed to be doing something. Searching. But where? He closed his eyes and willed his nerves to calm themselves. He focused his hearing, tuning out every little sound he heard until eventually he could hear nothing but the wind. The sound of his phone going off nearly deafened him. He grabbed it quickly and flipped it open.

"Chloe?"

"Yeah its me. Clark listen, I found some schematics of all the places that could pose a massive threat. There are a lot of places in a city this size. The main ones are the Daily Planet…"

"I'm already there, its not here."

"I don't have a lot to go on Clark, I didn't have much time to pull this up…" She said, exasperated.

"I know Chloe." He said softly, trying to remember that this must be as hard for her as it was for him. Well almost. She wasn't the one who was going to have to decide who to save. He wondered if she would ever look at him the same way again. If he had to choose to let her cousin…He couldn't finish that thought. He would not let Lois die. He couldn't. He had to find a way to save them all.

"Clark, for this to have the right affect, Tess would need to pick a place that is well crowded. There aren't that many places that are open past six. I think you should do a sweep of the subway tunnels"

"Right, of course." He replied numbly. "Keep looking Chloe, I'll talk to you soon."

"Clark…" The panic in her voice stopped him from hanging up. "Lois is…" She stopped, her voice breaking with emotion. Clark closed his eyes, trying to keep the panic from welling up inside of him.

"I know Chlo….I know." He hung up and jumped from the roof of the Daily Planet, landing in the alley next to it. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he took off down the nearest subway entrance, the sound of an imaginary clock ticking loudly in his ears.

* * *

Kara flew as fast as she could and was amazed when she could see the familiar fields of Smallville come into view. She had made astounding progress, had beaten any record she'd previously had and had arrived back in the US within a few minutes. She glanced down at Lana and gasped as she realised that she was unconscious. She immediately stopped, landed in a nearby field and set her down.

"Lana? Lana can you hear me?" Lana was out for the count and her face had grown a deathly pale grey colour now. Lana let out a small groan and came to, her eyes slowly fluttering open.

"Hey you…" Kara said softly, bending down over her. "What is it Lana? What's happening to you?"

"I don't know. But it hurts. Where are we?"

"We're in Smallville. I'm taking you to the hospital."

"So fast?" Lana asked, drifting in and out of consciousness. Kara was worried, this did not look good. She gently picked her up again and said. "Don't worry Lana, it's going to be okay."

"You have to find Clark. He needs you Kara. You have to help him."

"I will, just as soon as I get you settled at the hospital."

"No, you have to go now Kara! Something is happening. I know it."

"Do you know where Lois was taken?" Kara asked, hoping that she would be able to give her a starting point.

"No, somewhere outside the city. That's all I overheard." And with that, she lapsed back into unconsciousness. Kara held her a little closer and headed off towards the hospital, not wanting to fly and put extra strain on Lana's already frail body. She let out a deep sigh of relief as she saw the hospital's lights come into view.

* * *

Clark ran through tunnel after tunnel after tunnel and found nothing. He was losing precious time and he felt like he was on a wild goose chase. He headed to the centre of the subway system and stopped. Eyes closed, ears listening intently, he could hear nothing but the sounds of people milling about.

He'd been careful as he sped through the tunnels, not to be seen or heard by anyone, but listening now, he could hear a few voices saying they that they'd felt a gust of wind, seen an odd red blur, it had to be the mysterious Red-Blue-Blur. But what was he doing down here? Was something happening?

Clark wished he could just tell them all to get out. To get as far away from here as possible. He could feel it in his gut. The bomb was here. But where exactly. He shook his head, drowning out the voices of the crowd, and there it was. A very faint beeping sound.

Not wanting to attract too much attention, Clark walked at a normal pace to the edge of one of the platforms. The beeping grew louder, he was close. He checked his watch, two minutes left. Panic surged up inside him, and for a moment he couldn't breathe. He was running out of time. He ran along the edge of the platform, looking underneath the edges with his x-ray vision. There was nothing there.

He stopped again, running both hands through his hair in frustration. It was getting quieter now. He was heading the wrong way. He doubled back and ran to the other end, where a train was sitting idly, the driver obviously on a break between journeys. It was empty.

As he walked towards the back of the train, the beeping grew louder. He turned so that he was facing the back of the train directly and looked hard. And there it was, underneath one of the chassis. Clark had no knowledge of explosives, but he knew that he was looking at something that could do a lot of damage if he didn't disarm it soon.

He looked up at approaching footsteps. The driver was making his way back, he had to do something. He climbed underneath and lay on his back. The angry red numbers now reading one minute. He looked at every angle, every wire. He could use his heat vision, but how did he know that wouldn't trigger it off too. As more voices and footsteps appeared, Clark saw only one option.

He ripped the bomb off, and squeezed it hard between his hands, crushing it until it was a pile of metal no larger than a tennis ball. The numbers stopped, and Clark let out a rush of breath. He tucked it inside his jacket pocket just in cast he was wrong and it could still go off, and sped off out of the tunnel.

Once outside, satisfied that the citizens of Metropolis were now safe, he paused, listening again. He could hear her, she was awake now and crying and he felt something ice cold grab his heart. He sped off in the direction of her voice, she sounded so scared, she was calling his name. Calling out for him.

Before he realised it, he was out of the city limits and heading towards Smallville. He grimaced, he'd been there, right where she was and he'd passed by her. He ran faster than his legs wanted to allow, but he couldn't stop.

He heard her scream, the loud bang that followed it and then there was silence. And his heart stopped. _Lois!_


	26. Chapter 25

_**Chapter Twenty Five**_

_I'm too late. Oh God, Lois! Please be okay, please. Oh please, don't take her away from me. I need her. I love her._

Clark kept this mantra up as he sped out of Metropolis. With his mind focused solely on getting there, he refused to think of what he would find when he arrived. Lois' scream kept reverberating in his ears, clouding his mind. He was so scared. Not even the anger he felt towards Tess could distract him from the fear of finding Lois dead.

He pushed the image of her beautiful body lying broken amongst the rubble from his mind. He couldn't take it. He skidded to a stop on the border of Smallville. Without any sound to guide him, he was just as clueless here as he had been in Metropolis. With a sudden scream of rage, Clark lashed out, his fist connecting with the nearest metal street lamp. It groaned, protesting for a moment before it fell to the ground.

Clark didn't even look at it. He was scanning the fields around him. Searching for any sign, any at all, that could lead him to Lois. He couldn't think straight, he was blinded by fear and anger. Picturing her face, blindfolded and gagged, he ran through the fields of Smallville, every sense on high alert.

He could smell something. Something burning. He took off in that direction and on the outskirts of Smallville, he found an old storm shelter that had been abandoned a long time ago. He didn't know who the property belonged to. As he stepped inside, he barely made it down three steps before the smell of smoke drifted over him.

There were a few little fires here and there, he quickly blew them out with his breath and took a look around. The place was a disaster. There was virtually nothing left in there. As sick as the thought made him, he began to look around for any signs of Lois' body. He didn't know whether to be relieved or even more worried that he couldn't find anything.

Heading back outside, he stopped and listened. _Lois where are you honey?_ His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his phone. He took it out of his pocket and answered it without bothering to see who it was.

"Chloe?"

"Clark, it's me." Kara's voice came through, sounding panicked.

"Kara, where are you? I could really use your help right now!" He yelled angrily. Though some part of him knew that none of this was her fault, he felt angry at her for not being here. For choosing this time to take off and do whatever it was she was doing. It was an absurd reaction, he knew, but it was there nonetheless.

"Clark shut up and listen!" Kara shouted, the tone of her voice strong and commanding. He'd never heard her speak like that before. "I found Lois. We're at the hospital, but you need to get here right away. Where are you?" Clark couldn't speak, his mouth hung open at the words he had just heard. Lois wasn't dead. Kara had found her. Relief and guilt hit him instantly, relief that Lois wasn't dead, and guilt at being so mad with Kara.

"I'm on my way."

"Hurry Clark…" Something in her voice stopped him in his tracks, maybe everything wasn't okay.

With that realisation, the panic was back again and so he hung up and sped off. He couldn't concentrate, his mind was unwillingly thinking up all kinds of scenarios that he was dreading. He was so lost in these thoughts, these awful images, that he didn't notice his feet weren't on the ground until he was soaring above the treetops.

Gazing down, he let out a sharp gasp, he was flying. Flying! He couldn't believe it. How many times had he tried to do this before and landed flat on his face? He'd lost count. But he couldn't think about it right now, he had somewhere he needed to be. As he focused, in his desperation to get to Lois, he found himself moving at a faster pace until the trees and the birds in the sky, froze all around him.

* * *

Oliver lowered himself down through the skylight of the mansion with ease. He had rushed to Smallville on his private jet, changing into his Green Arrow gear on the way, because he didn't know what he would find when he arrived. He couldn't just let Clark walk into a trap and he was sure that was what Tess was planning. He had to do something to help.

Clark may be invincible but he wasn't without his weaknesses either. Oliver just hoped that that was one part of him that Tess didn't know about. He jumped effortlessly to the floor and crouched down low. Slowly, he peered his head over the ledge of the balcony in the study and looked around. Satisfied that no one was coming to investigate his break in, he slowly made his way down the stairs and paused.

There was a figure lying on the floor near the door. Tess. Cautiously, he walked over to her, as he bent down, he saw she was starting to open her eyes.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." He said, his voice low due to the software he was using to disguise it. She blinked a few times and held a hand to her head.

"Ow, that guy really knows how to treat a lady." She grumbled, struggling to sit up. Oliver made no move to help her.

"You're no lady." He said, his voice laced with disgust. Something that didn't escape her attention. She looked up at him with raised eyebrows but before she could retort, he said. "Where is Lois Lane? I know you have her."

Tess let out a sigh, appearing to be bored by this topic of conversation. "Why does everyone keep breaking in here accusing me of things I have no control over?" She said, throwing her hands up in frustration. Oliver wasn't fooled.

"Oh but you do Miss Mercer. I have it on good authority that you're planning something. Something for the Kryptonian." As soon as he said it, Oliver knew he'd messed up. Her smiling eyes were now narrowed, calculating.

"You know of the Kryptonian? How much do you know?"

"I should tell you because…?" He trailed off. She slowly got to her feet and held onto the nearby chair for support. Wavering a little, she glared at him, her eyes assessing him from head to toe.

"Tell me, why does the Green Arrow, feel the need to come looking for a reporter. Who is she to you?"

"That's irrelevant. Tell me where she is."

"I don't know where she is right now." Tess replied petulantly, folding her arms across her chest.

"You're really not a very good liar Miss Mercer, I wonder why someone like Lex Luthor would place his trust in someone like you. Or maybe you had other talents…" Oliver said, a sly grin appearing on his face as the smile on hers faded.

"How dare you!" Oliver grabbed her wrist before her hand had time to connect with his face and held it in a vice like grip.

"Where is Lois Lane?" He repeated. "I won't ask you again." He growled, the threat in his voice barely concealed and he felt a little satisfaction as her eyes widened.

* * *

"Kara! Where is she? Is she okay?" Clark had to force himself to keep to a normal pace as he raced towards Kara in the hallway of the Smallville Medical Centre.

"Oh Clark," She cried and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. When she pulled back he could see the worry in her eyes. He didn't like it, he could feel the panic building to a terrifying frenzy and if she didn't tell him soon, he was afraid he was going to snap.

"What happened? Please tell me she's alright." He said, urgently.

"I don't know. I just got her here. I…I'm sorry Clark. I had no idea it was all a set up." He frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

"I took Lana to Egypt. She came to me earlier and asked me to take her somewhere, anywhere. So I decided that the Pyramids would be a nice thing to show her, since she's never seen the world. But when we got there, she started acting so weird. She was clearly upset about something and that's when she told me that Tess Mercer was planning to help her get a new life. A new identity, the works."

She shook her head, waving her hand dismissively in front of her. "Anyway long story short, she told me that Tess was planning something and that her price for Lana's new identity was that she had to get me out of the way. Distract me long enough for her to do what she had planned."

Clark shuffled his feet impatiently, hearing this was necessary but at this point all he wanted to do was see Lois. He wouldn't believe that she was truly okay until he could see her, touch her, hear her.

"I rushed her back here and then I heard something. Out in the fields I could hear Lois. She was crying out for you. So I took off but when I got there…" She paused, the image in her mind was obviously something she wasn't going to forget in a while.

"She was just sitting there, helpless. And there was a bomb strapped to the chair behind her. I couldn't disarm it, it there was only a few seconds left on it so I just grabbed Lois and got her out of there as quickly as I could. I set her down outside and checked her over, she said she was fine but she didn't look it." She stopped again and Clark had to physically restrain himself from shaking her to get the answers faster.

"Clark, there was something…inside her…" She whispered, Clark's whole body tensed as he listened.

"I used my vision on her, to check her over to make sure she was okay, and I could see something just underneath her collarbone,"

"What was it?"

"I don't know, it looked kind of like a shell of a bullet. Like a little metal capsule of some sort. I didn't have time to think about it because the next thing I know, it started making a noise, a little humming sort of sound. Tess clearly had a backup plan in case anyone got to her in time. I didn't have a choice Clark, I had to get it out of her…" She stopped again, avoiding his eyes. Clark grabbed her shoulders.

"Kara what did you do?" He asked hoarsely.

"I tried to get it out but my heat vision isn't as precise as yours is…" She said, a tear appearing at the corner of one eye. "I hurt her Clark, I'm so sorry but I had to get it out."

"Is she alright?"

"She uh…the doctor said that the wound went quite deep…I think I hit her lung…" Clark wanted to scream at her, he wanted to yell at how irresponsible she had been. But taking in her features, each one contorted in her own personal agony, he felt his anger subside. She had only been doing what he would've had to do had he been there. She had been trying to save her life. He couldn't be mad at her for that. Quietly, he pulled her into his arms.

"It's okay Kara, I know you had to do it. It's okay."

"I'm so sorry Clark."

"What happened after you got it out?"

"It exploded in my hand. I had been right, it would've taken her heart out in a second." Clark shuddered and rubbed her back comfortingly but shifted to turn as he heard footsteps behind them. The doctor stopped and watched them both with a grim expression that turned Clark's blood to ice.

"I need to speak with you Miss Kent, I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"No!" Clark yelled out, making the doctor and Kara jump. "No, she's not dead, tell me she's not dead." The doctor eyed him warily, unaware of who he was.

He turned his attention back to Kara and said softly. "I'm sorry, we did everything we could, but her heart just simply wasn't strong enough."

Clark felt the world slip out from underneath him._ No, not my Lois. Please no!_

He sunk to the ground, his legs collapsing beneath him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he registered that Kara and the doctor were still talking but he couldn't hear the words. It was all just a jumble of noise to him now. The soft sound of Kara's crying did nothing to break him out of his thoughts. But when she placed a strong hand on his arm, and squeezed, he looked up at her.

"I'm sorry Clark. I know how much Lana meant to you…" She sniffled. _Wait, Lana?_ He stood up, aware that the doctor was now no longer here. It was just him and Kara again.

"Lana?" He asked.

"Her heart gave out Clark. The doctor said that she would've had this problem for a while, probably since birth. If it had been caught earlier, they might've been able to do something."

"Wait a second. Lois isn't dead?" His question seemed to stun her. She looked at him through narrowed eyes.

"Lois? Why would you think…?" Her eyes suddenly grew wide, as if she remembered something. "Oh I'm sorry Clark, I didn't tell you. The reason I brought Lana here…when we were in Egypt, she started having chest pains and she looked awful. It scared me, so I rushed her back here. I didn't have time to stop off at a hospital on the way, I knew something was happening here and you needed me. The doctor said that they couldn't have done anything for her. I think maybe that's what Tess had planned all along, maybe this Lana…wasn't meant to stay in this world. Or maybe the technology failed and it was only a matter of time before…"

Clark felt a surge of unfamiliar emotions sweep through him. He felt so guilty for feeling relieved that Lois wasn't dead. Lana, not the _real_ Lana, but Lana just the same, was now dead. He didn't know how to feel. She was the same to him, same looks, same voice, same everything.

He felt the loss tugging at his heart, now feeling more painful as it washed over him and he felt awful for not being there for her more. He had promised to help her, and then, when his own emotional tornado had swept him up, he'd all but abandoned her. He shook his head, in shame. She may not have been the girl he'd grown up loving, but he felt something for her nonetheless.

"Clark, what is it?"

"I…she was…innocent in all this…"

"Not completely…" Kara reminded him. But her words weren't meant to be harsh. He could see through the tears in her eyes that she was just as shocked and upset as he was.

"But that wasn't her fault really Kara, she was manipulated. Tess can be very persuasive. She felt bad enough to tell you what was happening in the end." He said, his voice breaking on that last word. But before Kara could reply, his phone went off.

"Hey Chloe." He said numbly.

"Clark! What's going on?" She practically yelled down the line. He forgot that he hadn't called her to let her know what had happened.

"I found the bomb Chloe, I got to it just before it went off." He heard Chloe's sharp intake of breath and knew that she was quickly making her own conclusions. He hadn't gotten to Lois in time. He hadn't chosen her.

"Chloe, Lois is okay. Kara found her in time. She's in Smallville."

"Oh thank god! Is she okay?"

"I think so, I…haven't seen her yet…" He said, quietly.

"Clark? What is it? Why do you sound so…distant? Is something wrong?" Clark swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat. Chloe would not take this news well, she had been the one out of all them to spend the most time with Lana.

"How soon can you get here Chlo?"

"I'm on my way right now, Jimmy's with me."

"Okay, I'll talk to you when you get here."

"Clark, she's okay really, isn't she?" Chloe asked and he could hear the suspicion in her tone. She thought he was keeping the real news of Lois from her until she got here.

"Yes Chloe, she'll be fine." _I hope._ But he didn't add that part. He ended the call and turned back to Kara, who was wearing a thoughtful yet very sad expression.

"You need to see Lois. She's in the room down the hall, two-eighty-four. Go see her Clark, there's something I need to take care of."

Without waiting for an answer, Kara took off, leaving Clark staring after her. He turned and walked down the hall, pausing at Lois' door. Taking a deep breath he rubbed his face roughly, he hadn't realised that he'd been crying until he felt the wet tears on his cheeks.

He quickly wiped them away and opened the door slowly, his eyes searching for the woman he loved. She was lying in the bed, asleep. He leaned over her and kissed her lightly on the forehead, lingering for a long moment but careful not to wake her. He didn't want to hear exactly what had happened to her just yet. He just wanted to be near her. He needed to feel the peace of being near her for just a little while. He needed to block out all the pain. So he took her hand gently in one of his, sat down in the chair next to her bed and laid his head next to hers on her pillow.

* * *

"One last chance Miss Mercer, where is she?"

"She won't tell you." Oliver whirled around to see Kara standing in the open doorway, a look of pure fury on her face. "Will you?" She said to Tess, walking slowly towards her. Oliver managed to compose himself in time.

"And you are?" He asked, but with a hidden note of familiarity that he hoped Tess wouldn't pick up on.

"I'm Kara. Kara Kent." She replied, her eyes never once leaving Tess'. He wondered for a moment if she'd actually recognised him but then quickly dismissed it. She knew he was the Green Arrow. This was all for show.

"I suppose Clark sent you?" Tess asked, her voice disapproving. Then she smirked.

"Tell me, did Clark find what he was looking for?" She asked and that seemed to be enough to make Kara's resolve snap. She grabbed Tess by the throat and wrenched her out of Oliver's grasp. As she held her up in the air, choking the life out of her, Oliver saw the rage in her beautiful blue eyes.

He'd never seen anything like it. He had to stop her before she did something she would regret for the rest of her life. They hadn't been dating long but he knew enough to know that Kara would never forgive herself if she took a human life. She was a lot like Clark in that way.

"Kara, stop." He said calmly as Tess struggled against her.

"She must be stopped. My cousin may be too good and honest to take care of her but I'm not so forgiving. She put the lives of people I love in danger. She's responsible for the death of one person already, I won't give her a chance to get a second shot."

All of this she said whilst staring at Tess with loathing. She never glanced once in his direction. "You almost killed Lois." Kara spat angrily. Tess' wild eyes widened as she tried to get some oxygen in. "Yes that's right. She's still alive and she's fine. And so is Metropolis. Clark found your little bomb."

Oliver placed his hand on Kara's arm and she snapped her head down to face him. It took a second for her to realise who it was. She'd been so lost in her anger. Suddenly as she stared at him, her eyes softened just a little. She dropped Tess to the floor abruptly. Tess grabbed her throat and coughed violently.

Kara saw her eyes dart to the little monitor on the other side of the room and smiled. "See? Everyone's safe. Well almost everyone. Did you know she only had a little time when you had her created? Was that part of your plan? Or was that just for kicks?"  
Kara said, looming over her. Oliver had never seen Tess so scared before. She crawled backwards, trying to get away from Kara, but Kara never gave her a chance.

"Did you?" She shouted, making Tess flinch.

"No, I thought she was the perfect replica. I needed her to get to Clark, to persuade him that he needed to start embracing his destiny. I wasn't trying to hurt anyone Kara, I took no pleasure in what I did. But it was the only way to make him see that we need him. He can't put the fate of the world on hold while he takes his pleasure. We all have to make sacrifices for the greater good."

"Do you know how many people have told Clark that? Believe me you're not the first. His own father has told him, Lionel Luthor, heck even I did at one point. But what you don't realise is, that Clark will become what this world needs. On his terms, not on yours. He'll do it when he feels he's ready and I should know that that is a lonely life to lead. You feel cut off from everyone and everything you've ever loved. Clark's had it much harder than I have but I know what he's thinking and I don't blame him. Why is it so hard for someone like you to accept that he needs Lois in his life? She completes him, any idiot can see that. She gives him balance, without that, you and your world will suffer. She makes him who he is now. A good person, something that you will never be." Kara said menacingly, taking another slow step towards her.

"Miss Kent, that's enough. What are you doing?" Oliver asked, stepping in between her and Tess. He couldn't believe that Kara was just spilling everything out for Tess to hear. Didn't she realise how dangerous that was? Sure Tess knew about Clark, but she didn't know that much about Kara. And he couldn't just stand by while Kara gave her more ammunition.

"I'm going to make sure she can't hurt anyone anymore."

"And you think killing her is the answer to that? I know you don't want to be a killer, and you will be if you carry on this way." Oliver couldn't understand why Kara was acting this way, what had happened?

As if sensing his thoughts, she turned to him and said. "Miss Mercer here was going to blow up half the city and Lois Lane. Clark had to choose which one was more important to save. Luckily for him, he wasn't alone." She said, glaring back down at Tess. "So you see why I have to make sure she can never do anything like this again?" She added, her tone very business like and that worried him.

Where was the sweet girl who blushed when he held her hand? Who giggled at almost anything he said. All he saw now was a cold look on her beautiful features and it scared him.

"I'll take care of her Kara…" He whispered, low enough so that Tess wouldn't hear but he knew that Kara would. And she did, her eyes flew up to glare into his shades.

"You? What are you gonna do?"

"I'm going to take care of it." he said, finality in his tone. Kara stared at him for a long time, assessing things. Eventually she sighed and backed off a little.

"You're lucky he's here. But if you ever try anything like this again, do not forget that I will not hesitate to take you out next time." Kara said icily.

Oliver opened his mouth to say something but she was already gone, leaving a gust of wind in her wake. He looked down at Tess. She was actually trembling. But he couldn't feel sorry for her. The woman he'd known many years ago, who he'd escaped from an island with, was long gone. And Lex Luthor's creation stood in her place.


	27. Chapter 26

_**Chapter Twenty Six**_

Lois felt the fog in her mind begin to dissipate as she slowly opened her eyes to an unfamiliar sight. She didn't recognise the room she was in. _Where am I? Oh the hospital? What am I doing…? Oh Kara._ Her head felt like it had been used as a battering ram as she tried to block out the bright hospital lights. It was still dark outside though she had no idea what the time was.

She squeezed her eyes shut at the thoughts and memories of the past few hours as they ran through her head. Waking up to find herself blindfolded and gagged, then hearing her captor laughing, actually laughing about what was to come. He had been only too eager to share Tess' plans with her because he thought that she was going to die. And truth be told, she kind of thought she was going to as well.

The next thought made her open her eyes fully, scanning the room. _Clark! Where is he? Is he okay? _It was then she registered something heavy resting on her hand, she looked down. A large hand was covering hers, their fingers entwined.

Letting her eyes trail up, she let out a relieved sigh when she saw him. He was sitting in the chair by her bed, leaning his head on her pillow, his face just inches from hers. And he was sleeping. She reached up gently, and let her fingers trace the contours of his face. _He's perfect_. She thought to herself.

Then a frown appeared._ He must be so exhausted. And worried._ She looked down at their interlinked hands again, he'd obviously been holding onto it for a while because it felt strangely numb to her. Like falling asleep on your hand. She swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat. She knew from her abductor that he had been forced to make a decision. Save Metropolis or save her.

It was a decision she hoped he would never have to make. She would never want him to put her above the safety of other people. But Clark was special. Not because of where he was born, but because of who he was. The person he was would never entertain the idea of choosing between the city he loved and the woman he loved.

She knew that Clark would try to find a way to save them both. But she also knew that the choice would've torn him up inside and she couldn't bear to think of that. She could almost imagine how deep his pain had gone. She could almost feel it as if it were her own pain.

She turned a little on her side and winced silently when it hurt. She watched him sleeping for a long time. Again she reached out tentative fingers to touch his face, she couldn't help herself. His lips, his eyes, his nose, his forehead. Every little feature, but with the lightest of touches so she wouldn't wake him.

She should've known better. Slowly, very slowly, his beautiful blue eyes fluttered open, blinked a few times and then her face was the first thing they settled on. She continued stroking his face and smiled.

"Hey," She whispered.

"Lois!" Was all he said as he raised his head and lunged gently over her. Almost instantly his mouth was covering hers, his heart pouring out all the emotions that his face would not reveal. Eventually, but too soon for Lois, he pulled back and stared deep into her eyes.

"I'm so sorry…" She put a finger to his lips.

"Sshh, I don't want to hear that from you. You have nothing to be sorry for, nothing, you hear me?" He looked like he wanted to argue that point for a moment but then he nodded and sat back down in his chair. But his hand stayed clamped around hers, almost like he was afraid to let go. She could feel his fingers flexing around hers as if to reaffirm that she was really there. She winced as she tried to sit up, he instantly leapt forward to help.

"Lois, you shouldn't move."

"I'm not going anywhere." She said, moving herself slowly into a sitting position. "Come here." She leaned forward slightly as he sat down behind her, then he carefully wrapped his arms around her and cradled her against his chest.

They sat like that for a few moments, each absorbing the other, his fingers absently running through her hair. Then Lois turned a little, ignoring the pain the left side of her chest, and looked up into his eyes. He looked worried, like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders and she wondered what she could possibly say to make him feel any better.

Knowing now how much she truly loved this man, she doubted that she would've been able to make the right decision if she had been in his position.

"I don't think you should be moving Lois." He said, and her heart clenched a little at the trembling in his voice. What had happened to him?

"I'm fine Clark. But…"

"But what?" He asked, alert.

"But…how are you? What happened to you?" She said, placing her hand against his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"I thought I…I had to…I thought I was going to lose you Lois." He opened his eyes and focused on her, and suddenly his hands were on her face, smoothing and caressing.

"I'm here." She said, the words feeling inadequate but she couldn't think of anything else in that moment.

"I had to…" He whispered. "I had to choose between you and Metropolis…"

"I know. The guy who took me told me all about it. I'm so sorry Clark."

"I couldn't choose Lo…I could never _choose_…"

"I would've understood Clark. If Kara hadn't found me in time…well, I understand." He looked at her like she had just slapped him. She winced, and it had nothing to do with the pain in her chest.

"Well I don't!" He said, his voice raising a little. "I was there. In Smallville. I was right where you were Lois and I completely passed you to get to Metropolis. If I'd known…"

"You couldn't have. Stop it Clark, I don't like seeing you like this." She replied, trying to make her voice sound stronger.

She couldn't stand seeing him do this to himself. He was the last person he should be blaming.

"I don't blame you for anything. We both know that you would never sacrifice the lives of hundreds of innocent people and I wouldn't want you to. Not for me. No one is that special to deserve that…" He cupped her face lightly. The intensity in his eyes made her heart jump.

"You _are that_ special Lois!" He leaned his head down and kissed her, the tenderness nearly made her cry.

"I know you like to put the blame for everything on your shoulders Clark, but this was not your fault. Tess Mercer did this. She is the only one to blame. So please, for me, will you just stop?" He didn't reply, but he didn't refuse either so she blew out a breath and leaned sideways against his chest. His hand came up to stroke the edge of the dressing on her chest, which was visible under her hospital gown.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm okay." He frowned at her, clearly disbelieving. "I am really. I don't really feel it anymore." A lie, but a necessary one. He was already in too much pain, she would not add to it now.

"But she burned you. I know that had to be painful Lois. I had to do it once and I'll never get that agonised scream out of my head. But Kara went a lot deeper. She could've killed you. I told her that her heat vision needed practice but she never listened to me."

"Smallville…you're ranting. I'm fine really. I mean yeah, it was no picnic but it was urgent and Kara had no choice. If a little chest wound is the worst I have to deal with then I'll take it over being blown to pieces. Gladly. So don't be too hard on her okay?"

"I won't. I'm just so glad that she was there. I'll always be grateful to her for that." He looked out through the window at the darkness outside for a moment. "What happened Lo? How did he get a hold of you in the first place?"

"I uh…went outside for some fresh air and he caught me in the alley behind the hospital. He hit me before I even had time to react. Then I woke up somewhere very dark, I had a blindfold on and I couldn't speak because I was gagged. I suppose that was to keep me from yelling for you." She stopped, watching his reaction closely, but so far she saw nothing on his face. Only his body tensed.

"And then what happened?"

"Well, he started taunting me, saying how I was going to die because you would have no choice but to save the others. And I was sure that he was right." She felt him stiffen. "I hoped that he was right anyway. I hoped that no matter what happened, you would do the right thing. And you did Clark. That's all that matters."

"If Kara hadn't gotten back in time, if she hadn't found you. It would've been too late for me to save you. I destroyed the other bomb but by the time I knew where you were, all I heard was you screaming and then an explosion and then…nothing." He said, his voice low and she felt a shudder go through him.

"Yeah, she got me out and then when we were outside, the bomb went off, but she was looking at me the way you do when you're x-raying something and then I heard her gasp. She said that she could see something inside me and started freaking out when she heard it."

"She grabbed my shoulders and said, 'Lois, there's something in you and I need to get it out right now' I nodded because I don't think I could've said anything at that point. She warned me that it was going to hurt. A lot. But after a few seconds, it was over and the next thing I know, I'm waking up to see you lying on my pillow. I must've passed out from the shock or something I don't really know."

"She hit your lung Lois. The doctor said the wound went quite deep." Clark replied, his voice tight. "But she feels terrible about it."

"She saved my life. There's nothing for her to feel terrible about. Where is she?"

"She left. Said she had something to take care of."

"And Chloe?"

"She's on her way. With Jimmy." Lois raised an eyebrow as he frowned.

"Really? Jimmy? Huh, maybe they've worked things out. I hope so." Clark simply nodded but his expression told her that he couldn't really focus on that right now.

"So what happened with Tess?" Lois asked. "Tell me what she did. I wanna know everything."

"I don't think that's…"

"Clark, tell me." He let out a sigh and kissed her briefly.

"I got to the mansion after I'd left Oliver. She said that she had planted a bomb in Metropolis, she showed me a screen with a picture of Metropolis on one side and…you on the other. I've never felt anger like it in my life Lois. I wanted to kill her." From the look in his eyes, Lois didn't doubt him.

"But you didn't." It wasn't a question, more of an affirmation. She knew he would never do anything like that no matter how much he was pushed. It simply wasn't in his nature to kill.

"No I didn't but you're missing the point Lois. I wanted to. I've never wanted to kill anyone. But I hated her for doing this to me. To you. Because of me, you were put in danger and you could've died. I never want that to happen to you again Lois, never because of me…" He trailed off, looking thoughtful and she felt a pang of fear in her gut. What was he thinking?

"Don't you dare Clark!"

"What?"

"Don't you dare start thinking that I'm better off without you!"

"Well you would be Lois…you wouldn't be put through anything like this ever again."

"Clark, trouble follows me around like a bad smell. I will always have a knack for getting myself into trouble. It has nothing to do with you." She said her voice getting louder.

"But if you think for one second that I'm just going to let you walk out of my life because you have some misguided notion of protecting me, then you've got another thing coming. How can you say that to me? How can you sit there and say I would be better off without you? Am I that easy to walk away from?" She asked, yelling now. Her whole body was shaking.

"No! Lois…I'm sorry. Just…calm down." He said, placing his hands on either side of her face in an effort to calm her down.

"You can't say things like that to me Clark. Not now. Not ever. Don't ever leave me Smallville, you got that?"

"Got it. Sorry."

"You better be. Because you know that if you did leave me, that would be worse than anything Tess Mercer could throw at me." Clark's expression argued with that statement but he didn't say anything.

"I could never walk away from you Lois. I love you too much."

"I love you too Smallville."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Just don't do it again." She replied, smiling lightly as she punched him on the arm. Her smile fell as she winced, pain rippling through her chest.

"You okay?" He asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm good." She replied, holding a hand to her chest. "What is this anyway?" She asked, before Clark could reply, the door opened and the same doctor who had told him of Lana's death walked in.

"Good evening Miss Lane. How are we feeling?" He asked, his eyes making a quick assessment of Clark sitting behind her. He frowned, clearly not liking what he was seeing. "You're supposed to be resting Miss Lane."

"I am, he's my own personal pillow." Lois said, defiantly. The doctor simply smiled tightly, not entirely pleased with her response but said nothing.

"Well, if you wouldn't mind lying down for me Miss Lane, I would just like to give you a quick examination."

"Oh, okay." Clark shifted off the bed and helped her lie down, he bent down over her and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be right outside." He whispered. She nodded.

"Don't go too far." She replied. He brushed his knuckles lightly over her cheek before turning to leave.

"Right then, let's get started." The doctor said. "I'm doctor Nielson by the way. Now, how are you feeling? Do you have a lot of pain?"

"No not really, only when I move. What exactly is wrong with me?"

"Well the young lady that brought you in told us you'd been hit by some kind of laser. Which would makes sense seeing as how the edges of your wound looked pretty clean and already quarterized. There was hardly any blood loss at all." He said in an amazed voice as he gently peeled back the dressing.

"Hmm…" He said after a few moments of examining the wound. Lois looked down. She could see where they had stitched her up. An angry red line about an inch long, ran along the skin just underneath her collar bone.

"Looks good." He replaced the dressing and then wrote something down on his clipboard. "Do you feel like you need any more pain relief?"

"No, I'm fine. Really. My head hurts though."

"Yes, you have a mild concussion. Do you remember much about what happened to you?"

"Uh…not really?" She lied. How was she supposed to explain that she'd been strapped to chair and almost blown up and then her boyfriend's super powered cousin showed up in the nick of time and saved her? Not to mention said cousin burning a hole in her chest to save her life.

"Well apparently you were attacked, though the young lady didn't give us many details to work with. We had to fix the damage to your chest, there was quite a deep hole though amazingly, the laser did not break all the way through your lung. Just the surface. So we stitched that up and then the outer wall of your chest. You're very lucky Miss Lane, if it had gone through, you would've had a collapsed lung for sure." He took his stethoscope from around his neck and placed the cold end against her skin.

"Take a nice deep breath for me please." Lois inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Good, that sounds very healthy."

"Does that mean I can go home today?"

"I'm afraid not Miss Lane. We need to monitor you for a few days." Lois felt her face fall. She hated hospitals. Always had, ever since her mother had died. She had only just woken up and was already too eager to get out of here. The thought of spending another few days in here just wasn't appealing.

"Well, I'm happy with your progress Lois, you're gonna be just fine." He said, smiling at her as he replaced the clipboard at the end of her bed.

"Um…how's my father doing?"

"General Lane? I haven't been treating him but I hear that he's going to be discharged tomorrow."

"That's just great, he gets out of here before I do." She grumbled. The doctor simply chuckled.

"Well he didn't have a chest wound did he? Rest up Lois, I'll be back to check on you tomorrow, in the meantime, if you need anymore pain meds, just call for one of the nurses."

"Thank you." She said half-heartedly but not unappreciatively. It wasn't his fault she had to stay here, but he had delivered the news so that made him partially at fault in Lois' eyes.

"Could you send Clark back in please?"

"Of course." The doctor left and she heard an exchange of words before Clark finally re-entered, looking worried. He sat back down in the chair and took her hand.

"What did he say?"

"He says I'm fine. Had a lucky escape apparently. Don't need him to tell me that though do I?" She said, grumpily.

"Then why are you angry?" He asked.

"Because he says I've gotta stay in here for a few days."

"Well, it's not such a bad idea Lois. At least if you're in here, they'll force you to rest. If they let you out, I know exactly what you'll be doing. And you need to get better." He said, with that charming Kent smile she could never resist.

She growled and closed her eyes, unwilling to look at him. He knew that was his secret weapon against her.

"Where's Chloe anyway? Shouldn't she be here by now?"

"I just called her, she's just getting into Smallville, she should be here in another ten minutes."

"Oh, so is Lana with her?" Lois asked. She opened her eyes when she received no response. She looked over to see tears in Clark's eyes.

"Clark? What is it?" 


	28. Chapter 27

**_Chapter Twenty Seven_**

"Oh Clark, I'm…so sorry." Lois murmured, holding tightly onto his hand. Clark blinked the tears away and smiled sadly at her.

"It's okay Lo…I just…"

"What?" She pressed softly, rubbing her thumb in gentle circles over the back of his hand.

"I wish that I'd spent a little more time with her. She didn't know anybody, she must've felt so alone. But I never wanted you to think that…I mean…" He stopped himself, he didn't want Lois to think that he'd avoided Lana because of her.

But the truth was, he knew that he'd stayed away from her and let Chloe deal with her as much as possible because he didn't want to hurt Lois anymore than he already had. And that made him feel even worse. After promising to help Lana, she'd ended up feeling very alone and accepting the help of Tess Mercer of all people.

Before he could register what she was doing, Lois had gotten up and gingerly sat down in his lap, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"Lois, you'll hurt yourself." He muttered, but having her arms around him felt so good. He breathed in her scent, closed his eyes and held her protectively. She knew what he needed and he loved her even more for it.

"It'll be okay Clark I promise" She whispered in his ear, then placed a loving kiss below it. He pulled back to look at her. How had he ever been so wrong about her? She was the love of his life. He knew that now. His love for Lana would never disappear but loving Lois put it all into perspective. As Lois had once said herself, though she'd never remember it, Lana is his past, she is his future.

"Its just, I don't really know how to feel about this…" He started, but then frowned, not knowing how to phrase his words.

Lois nodded. "Its hard to know isn't it? Are you grieving for the Lana of the last few days, or of the idea of losing the girl you used to love for so long?" He stared at her with wide eyes. How did she always know exactly what he was thinking and how to put it into words? Sometimes it seemed that she knew him better than he knew himself.

"Both I guess," He sighed and held her tighter in his arms, though being careful not to hurt her.

"I almost lost you today." He whispered, his voice cracking as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"But you didn't. I'm still here. You can't get rid of me Smallville." She said and he knew that she was just trying to lighten the mood.

"I've never been so scared in my whole life Lois." He said seriously. "I…"

"Of all the things I've seen in this weird town…" A voice boomed from the doorway making both of them jump. "I never expected to see something like this."

"Daddy, they let you out already?" Lois asked with a sigh, a slight blush warming her cheeks, which Clark would've found adorable if he weren't so nervous.

The General stood in the doorway, staring down at him. His eyes burned with an intensity that unnerved Clark. Even in his regular attire, with bruises covering the left side of his face, General Lane exuded that air of a military man, demanding respect and giving out little.

Clark had only met him twice before today and both times he had been in his army uniform. It was an odd feeling, being as powerful as he was, that the man before him still had the power to intimidate him.

"Yes, and I spoke with your doctor, he says you're supposed to be resting Lo…" He said, his voice and face clearly disapproving of what he was seeing.

"Don't start dad, this is my fault. And may I remind you that you barged in here?" She replied, her tone hard.

Clark, still feeling a little uncomfortable under the General's scrutinising gaze, stood up and gently placed Lois back in her bed. She grabbed his hand before he could move away and he saw the message in her eyes. _Don't you dare leave me_. He turned to face the General, who had now moved to the foot of Lois' bed.

"So what's the story? You two an item now? How come you didn't tell me about this Lois?" He demanded.

"Well it's not really any of your business." She replied.

"You don't think it's any of my business to know who my daughter is dating? How long has this been going on?" He said, turning his eyes back to Clark.

"A couple of weeks sir, it hasn't been that long really and Lois just wanted to make sure you were well again before she said anything."

"Clark, don't give him what he wants, he's just trying to scare you. Daddy, I'm a big girl, which means I can date whoever I like. Besides, I was a little too busy saving your butt at the time to say anything." She reminded him with a smirk.

Clark winced, was she seriously going down that road? That would not end well. Sam Lane seemed to take his time before answering her and Clark realised it must grate on him that his daughter had been the one to rescue him.

"So what about this Mercer woman? Is she behind bars yet?" He asked, gruffly.

"Uh, no not yet." Clark said, avoiding his eyes and he felt Lois squeeze his hand reassuringly. He looked over at her and smiled gratefully.

"Why on earth not?" He yelled.

"Dad! Don't start yelling okay?" Lois asked.

"I want to know why this woman did what she did. What was the purpose of kidnapping me and almost blowing you up?" He said, a little calmer but his voice was still loud. He ignored Clark's flinch at his harsh words and continued. "Does she have a vendetta against you?"

"Gee thanks daddy, I must be so bad that I invoke the wrath of a psychopath huh?"

"You know that's not what I meant Lo. But something must've happened to cause all this." Lois looked up at Clark, he didn't know what to say without telling him the truth.

"I don't know dad, she's crazy. I was a little busy to stop and ask why she was doing this." Lois said, avoiding his gaze. From the look on the General's face, Clark could tell that he wasn't buying that excuse but wasn't going to protest.

"Humph, well I intend to find out. She's not getting away with this, I'll have the entire US Army on her if that's what it takes." He said, his voice menacingly low and Clark knew he meant every word of it.

"So where's Lucy?" He asked after taking a moment to calm himself.

"I called her, but she was in Europe and couldn't get back. She said she would get here as soon as she could. I decided it was best not to tell her you were taken until we knew what was happening with you and then when you were admitted here, I let her know."

"Good, you're right. She doesn't need to know the details of what happened."

"I think maybe I should leave you two alone to talk." Clark said, suddenly remembering that he had left Tess at the mansion and she would be awake by now. He had no idea what he was actually going to do when he got there. She had probably disappeared by now.

He saw the warning in Lois' eyes. "I'll be back later Lo." He promised "There's something I need to do." She assessed him for a moment and then nodded.

"Don't be gone for too long Smallville." She replied. He nodded and leaned down to kiss her and, aware that her father was watching his every move, placed a light kiss on her cheek and left before he could say anything. Once he was outside the room, he let out a huge sigh.

"Clark!" He barely had time to react before Chloe launched herself into his arms. He looked over her shoulder at Jimmy and Kara, who looked very angry. When Chloe pulled back, he could see the tears in her red rimmed eyes.

"Is she okay?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, she's fine Chlo…"

"I'm so sorry Clark. Kara just told me about Lana. I just can't quite get my head around it."

"I know." Clark replied, solemnly.

"It's just all so unfair. Why did this have to happen? She didn't deserve any of that. Her whole existence was just one big plot." Chloe said, fresh tears now replacing the old ones. Jimmy stepped forward and placed his hand on her arm. She grabbed his hand and held it tight and Clark hoped that they really were working things out. From what he was seeing, it definitely looked promising.

"I know, that's why we need to make sure that Tess pays for what she's done. I'd better get back to the mansion. I left her there when…"

"Oliver's there Clark." Kara chimed in. "He said he's _taking care of her._" Kara snorted. Clark eyed her suspiciously.

"Kara, is that where you went? You didn't hurt her did you?"

Kara exploded. "You're worried about _me_ hurting _her_? What about the fact that she killed Lana, Clark? Or almost blew your girlfriend into a million pieces!" Clark winced, it would never get any easier to hear those words. The memory of what had almost happened would stay with him forever.

"Hey just calm down. You know I didn't mean it like that. I couldn't care less what happens to her but _we_ don't punish people Kara. It's not in our hands to do that. It's up to the police."

"And how long do you think she'll stay in prison Clark? She has the world's best defence attorneys at her disposal…" She said with disgust. "She'll be out within a day or two…"

"I really wouldn't worry about that." Oliver's silky voice said as he walked up behind her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and bent his head to kiss her. She reared back to glare at him.

"What did you do?" She asked, sharply.

"I called in Metropolis PD but before they arrived I managed to get a lot of evidence from Tess' hard drive. Wasn't easy though, she'd hidden most of it pretty well but I got enough to keep her there long enough to make a deal with the guys who were working for her. If we can get them to talk, maybe in exchange for a reduced sentence or charge, then she'll be going down for a long time."

"What about Daniel?" Clark asked.

"He's gone off grid I can't find him anywhere. I'm betting the only person who knows where he is, is Tess." Oliver replied. Clark grumbled something under his breath.

"Kara's right, she has a lot of highly paid lawyers, they'll have her out in no time." Chloe chipped in.

"I have my own too Chloe." Oliver reminded her. "If that's what it takes to send her down than that's what I'll do. Bottom line, she is _not_ getting away with this." Clark smiled to himself, Oliver sounded so much like the General when he said that.

"I sincerely hope not." She replied.

"How much will they be able to pin on her?" Clark asked.

"Well if we can get these guys to talk, hopefully everything. But she's paid them off, if they can't be persuaded to help us then I think there is a possibility of her getting out of this." They all fell silent for a moment as they contemplated this. Only the sound of Kara grunting stirred them.

"If she doesn't go down, I have somewhere that would be perfect for her." She said, raising an eyebrow at Clark. He knew what she was thinking and he didn't know whether she was joking or not. There was no way he would willingly put Tess in the Phantom Zone. But when she grinned wickedly at him, he relaxed a little. With General Lane, Oliver, and Kara all after her blood, Tess had better watch out from now on.

"That's not even funny Kara." He warned.

"I know, but it would solve a lot of problems wouldn't it?" Jimmy looked back and forth between them, his brow furrowed in confusion. Clark wondered exactly how much Chloe had told him on the way here.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing Jimmy, just a private joke." Kara said, with a small chuckle.

"So how's Lois?" Oliver asked, wrapping his other arm around Kara. Clark couldn't figure out why she had been angry with him when he'd arrived but as he watched, he saw her eventually melt and lean back against him. Clark felt another smile creeping up on his face, they did actually make a cute couple and if Oliver made her happy, then he was happy too.

"She's okay. She has to stay in here for a couple of days…"

"Oh no, I'd better get some ear plugs." Chloe moaned.

"She's on the mend though, that's the important thing."

"So why are you out here?" Jimmy asked.

"Her father's in there with her." Clark grimaced.

"Ah, I see." Jimmy replied, in a tone that said he clearly didn't and was still deeply confused.

"Um, Clark can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Chloe asked, her eyes flitting between him and Jimmy. Jimmy nodded and let her go though Clark noticed something in his expression. Surely he wasn't still insecure about his and Chloe's relationship? She had married Jimmy for heaven's sake. How much more proof did he need that they were only friends and nothing more?

They walked around the corner, leaving Jimmy standing with Oliver and Kara and then sat down on the chairs lining the wall.

"How you holding up?" She asked when they were seated, angling her body to face him.

"I'm doing okay. I think." He replied. "What is it?" He asked, sensing something else on her mind.

"Well… you may have noticed, Jimmy and I are giving things another chance, slowly of course…"

"I had noticed, I'm really happy for you Chlo…"

"Thanks but…I need to ask you a favour." She stared down at her hands, unable to look him in the eye.

"Chloe, hey, it's me. You can ask me anything." He said softly.

"I need to tell Jimmy the truth about you." She blurted out. 


	29. Chapter 28

_**Chapter Twenty Eight**_

"So what's really going on Lo?" Sam Lane asked as he took a seat next to his daughter's bed. His face was still stern but she could see a hint of concern as she moved and then winced.

"What do you mean?" Lois replied, holding herself stiff until the burning in her chest subsided.

"You know what I'm talking about. What's going on between you and Kent?"

Lois huffed out a sigh. "Fine, we're a couple. Is that what you wanted to know?"

"A couple. Are you…close?" He asked, and to the untrained ear that would sound like a perfectly normal question for a curious father to ask. Lois, however, knew her father well and she knew the real meaning behind the question so she chose her next words very carefully.

"Dad, I love him. And he loves me, so please, if you care about me at all, you won't ruin this one for me."

"Is all this because of him?" He asked, ignoring her plea and gesturing towards the hospital bed.

"No! How can you think something like that? You know Clark, he hasn't got a bad bone in his body."

"Well I'm just trying to figure this out Lois. Things like this don't just happen. Where was Clark when you were in danger?"

Lois shifted slightly so that he couldn't see her face fully, she wasn't sure what emotion was showing, she couldn't seem to control them very well today. Maybe it was the realisation that she had almost died. Would have if Kara hadn't found her.

But the thing that made her ache the most, was that Clark was blaming himself for this. He hadn't been able to get to her in time and that was really messing his head up and she had no idea what to do to help him get past that. But no matter how scared she had been, sitting there, unable to see, unable to shout or scream, she never once blamed him.

She would never have sacrificed the lives of innocent people to save herself. But the knowledge that he would have to choose had torn Clark apart and so she made a vow that he would never ever find out how truly terrified she had been.

"I'm waiting Lo." The General's gruff voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"It's a long and complicated story daddy. But I'm sorry that you were involved in it. How are you feeling now anyway?"

"Better than you I'd wager. I'm fine Lois. Don't worry about me, you concentrate on getting yourself better."

"I only have a scratch, I don't see why they need to keep me in here anyway." She grumbled.

"The doctor told me he's worried about your blood pressure, it's too high Lois and he wants to keep an eye on you for a couple of days. And you will do as he says Lo." Lois glared at her father.

"Is that an order _General?_"

"Lois…" He said, his voice warning her not to push him.

She studied him a for a moment, her eyes taking in the paleness of his face and the bruises that trailed down from the left side of his forehead to his chin. He looked…old, tired. She wasn't used to seeing that. He was always the strong one. Always the one in control. She found her anger fading as he smiled and took her hand in his.

"You're my little Lo…I don't want anything to happen to you. So you'll stay here and get the care you need. Or you can always come back to the base with me." He threatened, sounding stern but his eyes betrayed his emotions.

"You're leaving already?" Lois asked, avoiding the bait.

"I need to report back to base Lois you know that. They're going to want answers." He said with a frown.

"Okay, so when do you go?"

"Tomorrow. I know what you're going to say and I'm fine Lois. I don't need anything apart from the knowledge that you are okay and are going to behave yourself. Why don't you…?"

"Why don't I what?"

"Why don't you come with me? I don't want to leave you here in this weird town any longer. I'm starting to think it was a huge mistake letting you come here in the first place."

Lois smiled, he really was trying so hard not to give her orders but she could see how hard it was for him that she was lying in this bed. She patted his hand.

"First of all, I don't live in Smallville anymore, I live in Metropolis. Second of all, I have a great job that I love doing, and third…I am in love with Clark. I'm happy here dad." He eyed her warily for a long time.

"You're really in love with this guy huh? I thought you couldn't stand him. How much did you complain about him in the past? Every time I heard from you, you were always talking about how much he bugged you. Mind you, the amount of times you talked about him ought to have given me a clue." He snorted.

"That was the past. He _was_ the most irritating farm boy I had ever met. But the truth is, I think there's always been something there. I didn't want to recognise it at first, he was always off limits but working with him this last year, well, I started to see a different side of him. Dad, he has the biggest heart I've ever seen in a person. He's incredibly sweet, caring, kind, always puts other people's happiness before his own. And he loves me too. Can you believe that someone actually loves me for who I am?" She chuckled, but there was an underlying tone of disbelief in her question.

"Lois, I'm your father so I'm biased and I know I don't say this often enough but…you are one of a kind. You remind me so much of your mother it hurts sometimes." He said, closing his eyes for a second and she caught a brief glimpse of the grief that flashed across his face.

"I miss her too daddy." She said, squeezing his hand. It was unusual, receiving this much emotion from her father, but she wasn't about to complain. He hadn't been this open with her since, well, since her mother had died when she was six. And she missed her terribly, there were times when all she wanted was to feel her mother's arms around her.

"I know I haven't been the best father Lo, and I wonder if that's where you have gotten this complex from."

"What complex?" Lois asked, wiping away a tear that had formed.

"Why do you think you are unworthy of being loved?" He asked, his brutal honesty catching her off guard.

"Despite my reservations, Clark Kent is a decent lad, good parents, great upbringing and if I'm completely honest, I could see when I walked in that he loves you. I suppose that if it had to be anyone, I would rather it be him."

"Well thank you dad, that means a lot coming from you." Lois said, smiling. He leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"He just better take good care of you if he knows what's good for him." He warned but Lois chuckled.

"Oh daddy, when are you going to learn that I can take care of myself?" Her father's sceptical eyes roamed around the room and over her.

"Not counting today of course." He said with a laugh. But then his face turned serious again.

"I love you Lois, I don't say that enough do I?"

"No, but it's nice to hear when you do dad. I love you too." Lois choked out.

"I just want you to be happy Lo…so be happy."

* * *

"What?" Clark said, blinking in shock. "No Chloe, it's too dangerous for him to know. Too many people already know and look at the danger they've been placed in. You've had your whole life turned upside down because of my secret. Lana became so obsessed with it that she turned into a completely different person and Lois…I almost lost her because of it. I don't want that to happen to you." Chloe nodded numbly, still staring at her hands.

"But you knew that you couldn't be in a relationship with Lois until she knew the truth. That's where you and Lana went wrong. I know because I remember you telling me, you couldn't go through all the lies and deceit again. With Lois it had to be different, and it is. She accepted you for who you are and you two are stronger for it. You trust her." Chloe stated.

"Its not that I don't trust him Chloe, I just don't want to put him through all that."

"I just wanted him to know. I wanted us to start off with a clean slate, put all the bad stuff behind us. I needed him to know about you because I don't want to be in a marriage where I have to keep secrets from my husband. Can't you understand that Clark?"

Clark watched her for a moment, his best friend, the person he had gone to with anything, anytime he'd had a problem. Thinking back on all the pain knowing his secret had put her through, did he really have the right to refuse her a happy secret free life with her own husband?

"Chloe…" He tilted her face up to look at him. "I don't want you to tell him." Chloe squeezed her eyes shut for a moment but when he didn't say anything else, she slowly opened them and nodded.

"Of course, I understand."

"Chloe, I don't want _you_ to tell him…" He offered her a smile. "I'll tell him myself."

"What…?" Chloe's mouth fell open. "Are you sure you wanna do that Clark? I can tell him…"

"No, I think it would be better coming from me Chloe." It was time to set Jimmy straight about him once and for all. And deep down Jimmy was a good guy, Clark knew that he could trust him. "Besides, it's my secret to tell after all. And you're right, you two need to be in a marriage where you're not keeping secrets." Chloe drew him in for a hug.

"Thank you so much Clark. You're the best friend I could've ever asked for."

"I'm not so sure about that. You, Lois, Lana, my parents, everyone has had their lives changed because of me." He said, leaning forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "And now we're about to add Jimmy to that list."

"Kent!" Clark grimaced and looked up to see the General standing before him, a serious expression on his face.

"Yes sir?" He gulped, nervously. He heard Chloe's light chuckle as she got up to hug him.

"Hey Uncle Sam. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good Chloe thank you. Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes making a quick assessment of her.

"I'm fine now that Lois is okay. Speaking of which, I should really go and see her." Chloe grinned wickedly at Clark before sauntering away, leaving him alone with Lois' father.

They stood staring at each other for a few moments, neither knowing how to start. But eventually Sam sighed and started talking. It seemed he was as impatient with silences as his daughter.

"I talked to Lois, she seems pretty taken with you." He said gruffly.

"I'm pretty taken with her too sir,"

"I know, I see that. Do you love her?"

"Yes. With my whole heart." Clark said, unconsciously standing taller as he spoke the words. Sam seemed to notice this and also tried to stand a little taller but Clark had a good three or four inches on him.

"Lois may seem tough to you Clark, but deep inside, she's vulnerable. She grew up without a mother, I wasn't around enough, she had to take care of herself and Lucy. I'm not proud of that. But she did it, and she's grown into a fine young woman. One I'm very proud of. But I don't ever want to see her get hurt…"

"I'd never hurt her sir." Clark murmured, hearing how Lois had struggled growing up, struck something inside him and he felt the strongest protective urge kick in. In his mind's eye, he saw a little Lois, sitting with her sister, cradling her and taking care of her, crying as she learned of her mother's death. He saw her, all alone, with no one to turn to. He felt his heart surge in his chest with the emotions that that scene evoked.

"I believe you wouldn't. Not intentionally anyway. But I need to know that you're serious about my little Lo. She deserves the best."

"General Lane, I'm not going to stand here and list the reasons why I think I should be with Lois because, quite frankly there are too many. The most important thing you need to know is that I love your daughter very deeply and I will never, ever, let anything hurt her. I promise you that." He said defiantly, though deep in his mind he wondered if that was a promise he would be able to keep.

"The last time I was here, I was under the impression you couldn't wait to get rid of her." Sam said, changing tactics, using the same lines he had used on Lois to try and catch him out.

"Well, Lois was very…um…okay fine I wanted to help her get into Met U but I was young and naïve but I know what I want out of life now. And I want her." Sam narrowed his eyes and regarded him suspiciously, weighing up his answer.

"Good answer Kent. I know that Lois is in good hands with you Clark, and I know that she is happy with you. So if she's happy, I'm happy. But one thing…" He walked a little closer until his face was inches apart from Clark's. "If you do ever hurt her, I don't care how many men it will take, I will bring you down. You understand me?"

Clark swallowed hard, knowing full well that the fact that the General couldn't hurt him meant nothing at this point.

"Yes sir." He said finally. Sam's mouth then tilted up into a smile as he clapped him hard on the shoulder.

"Good. So tell me, how's your mother doing?"


	30. Chapter 29

_**Chapter Twenty Nine**_

"Have I done something wrong?" Oliver asked, snapping Kara out of her thoughts the next morning. They were at the hospital again, Kara hadn't wanted to leave Clark there to deal with all that had happened though Oliver suspected that it was also because she didn't want to be alone with him. She had gone home to the farm last night, saying that she was too tired to deal with anything. But he knew that was a lie to get away from him, he knew that Clark never needed much sleep and he was sure Kara was the same.

"Kara, talk to me please?" He had no idea why he was getting this frosty response from her. They were sitting on the row of chairs that lined the hallway wall outside Lois' room. Clark was in with Lois, and Chloe and Jimmy had gone down the to cafeteria to get them all something to eat since none of them had had breakfast yet.

They'd all come straight here. Clark had stayed all night. He didn't want to leave Lois alone for a minute because the General had left late last night to make it back to Washington. Kara turned her body to face him and sighed.

"Is this about what happened at the mansion?" He asked, tucking a stray blonde curl behind her ear. "Because I was only trying to stop you from doing something that I know would hurt _you_ in the end."

"So it wasn't because you were afraid I would hurt_ her_?" She asked timidly and suddenly he knew what this was all about. She was jealous.

"Kara, what are you talking about? I really don't care about Tess Mercer, I told you that was all in the past and it's not really something that I'm proud of. I would've loved to see you kick her ass actually, it would've been quite cool. But you can't afford to lose control like that Kara, you would never forgive yourself and I've seen what the guilt has done to Clark. No matter how much we all tell him that this wasn't his fault, he almost lost Lois and I can't imagine how he's feeling. So I just…I didn't want you to have to go through the same thing for a single moment of weakness."

"That's all it was?"

"Yes. Kara, you don't honestly believe I was protecting _her_ do you?" He asked in a soft voice.

"I don't know. When I got there, I was so angry because of Lana and Lois, I just really wanted to rip her head off. I knew Clark would never do something like that but I felt that she had it coming. I'm not so good at controlling these emotions as Clark. He's had a lot more practice then I have." She took a deep breath and continued. "But then when you told me to stop, I just couldn't understand it. Seeing you with her, I just…well I don't know what I felt but it was strong."

"You were jealous." She glared at him.

"I was not jealous!"

"Kara, it's a perfectly normal human emotion…"

"Well there you go, I'm not human so it wasn't so normal was it?" She said, icily, getting up. She stood across the corridor from him, leaning back against it with her arms folded in front of her. He stayed where he was, not wanting to push her.

"Okay…so maybe I was a little…jealous. But I don't like it, I'm not used to these emotions Ollie. I don't like feeling like that. It was like there was a mist in front of me that I couldn't see through and the more I tried, the angrier I got. Things never used to be like this at home…well on Krypton." Oliver got up and walked over to her. Taking her into his arms, he held her tightly.

"Kara, I know things are very different here, but you've adjusted well since arriving here…"

"But that's just it. I _was_ doing well, Clark was teaching me how to fit in and then I got trapped in the Phantom Zone for over a year and every emotion I had became subdued. My only instinct was to stay alive. And that became my life."

"But you didn't get out, because you wanted to protect Earth. You didn't want to let any phantoms out. Clark told me. Kara, don't you see? You care about us humans more than you'd like to admit."

"I just don't want to be the kind of person that gets jealous every time I see you with another woman, well with an ex anyway."

"Are you kidding me? That's the most basic human emotion Kara. You're not the first woman to feel that way and trust me you won't be the last."

"Yeah but no other woman can do the damage I can do when I'm angry." She said, disgustedly.

"Kara, you can't change who you are and we all do things we're not proud of. The hardest part is learning to forgive yourself for them." He felt a shudder go through her body as she wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. He kissed her hair and leaned his cheek against her head.

"I just really don't want to be that type of woman."

"Hey…do you get jealous when you see me with Lois?" He asked, pulling back to look her in the eye.

"No, of course not. I know you're just friends, but that's because she's happy with Clark."

"So if she was still single, would you feel anything then?" Kara thought about that for a moment, her face was adorable when she was deep in thought, Oliver thought to himself.

"No, I don't think I would."

"Well there you go then. You were just angry and upset, and I didn't stop to think that by stopping you from hurting Tess, you would think that I was protecting her."

"I know that. I'm sorry, I was just being silly."

"No you weren't, I know it's confusing for you. I understand." She smiled and reached up to kiss him. His face turned serious for a moment as he cupped her cheeks. "I would never hurt you Kara, I…well…I think I…" He paused, waiting for a reaction before he said the words.

Her expression didn't change, she was waiting for him to continue and suddenly, he found it very difficult the say the words. Would she believe him if he told her now? Or would she think he was just trying to make her feel better? He stared hard into her deep blue eyes, the deepest blue he had ever seen, and what he saw there made his heart swell. And in a moment of crystal clear clarity, he knew.

"Kara, I love you." He watched her face carefully as the words he uttered finally sank in and her eyes grew wide.

"You…you what?" She asked, her breathing coming in short gasps.

"I love you." He repeated with a hopeful expression.

"That's what I thought you said. Wow…I uh…wow…" She backed away from him and he had to beat down the urge to drag her back into his arms.

"Kara?" He asked after a few moments of silence. It was beginning to scare him now.  
"Look I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I know it hasn't been that long since we…"

He didn't get a chance to finish his speech before Kara lunged towards him, and after pushing him back against the wall, she kissed him with such passion that he'd never felt before. It was intoxicating and he soon found himself responding. Eventually and reluctantly, she pulled back, leaning her forehead against his.

"I love you too." She whispered.

"Really?"

"I was so scared of what all these feelings meant, they were so strong. I couldn't stand to be away from you for a long amount of time but I forced myself because I felt too…needy. I wanted to give you space, I didn't want to scare you off. But I just didn't know what exactly I was feeling. Until now." She smiled before kissing him again. He hugged her tightly against his chest.

"You have no idea how good it feels to hear that."

"It feels good to say it." She chuckled.

"Can you say it again? You know, just so I'm a hundred percent sure." He said, grinning wickedly. She rolled her eyes but smiled.

"I love you."

The shrill sound of Oliver's phone interrupted their moment, breaking the silence that had fallen. Oliver sighed against her lips and reached into his pocket.

"Hello?" He answered, his tone impatient. "Oh really? Oh I see." He listened for a few moments, stroking Kara's back absentmindedly as she listened in. "And they've agreed to talk? That's great news. Well thanks for calling me…" He paused again as he listened. "Yes I understand that. Thank you. Bye." He snapped his phone shut and smiled down at Kara, who was also grinning.

"You heard all that didn't you?" He asked and she shrugged sheepishly. He chuckled.

"Now all we need to do is find Daniel and there won't be enough money in the world to save her on this."

"What exactly are they charging her with? I didn't hear that part." Kara asked as they sat back down.

"Well obviously they don't know about Clark and everything but they do know about the bombs she had planted, so they're charging her under the terrorist act. That alone carries a hefty sentence I hear."

"Good, she should be sent down for life without parole. I would love to see her face when that happens."

"Well you may get your chance. I would say that we're going to have to give evidence in court. Are you up to that?"

"I'm not an idiot Ollie I can handle a court case. Anything to make sure she gets what she deserves, for what she did to Lana." She said, her expression sobering as she thought of her.

"Well that's the other thing she's been charged with. The files I was able to get off her hard drive, they're all about Lana. So they are charging her with illegal human experiments too. Luthorcorp's lawyers won't stand a chance of getting her off those charges." He chuckled to himself but then his face fell serious again.

"What is it?" Kara asked.

"Lana. They're going to want her body for evidence. They want to do a post mortem…to ascertain that she is a…"

"They can't do that!" Kara exploded.

"They can Kara. It's the only way to get what they need on Tess."

"But she's…no they can't Oliver. She'll become some lab rat. I won't let them." She said, she was getting angry and Oliver could hear the metal arms of the chair groaning under the pressure of her hands. He took them in his and squeezed reassuringly. Her fists were clenched in his palms and he felt a momentary rush of relief that she wasn't crushing his hands instead of the chair.

"Hey, we'll figure it out. When they have what they need, I'll arrange a proper burial for her. Under a different name of course…because the real Lana is still out there somewhere. I promise you that I'll take care of it." He said, offering her a smile. It took a while, but eventually, she sighed and leaned back against him.

"I guess that's the best we can do huh." She asked, but it wasn't really a question.

"For now."

* * *

Clark sat patiently, in the chair by the side of the bed, waiting for Lois to finish her grumbling as she spoke with the doctor.

"Look I've been in here for almost a day and I am already going crazy. I need to get out of here, I can't stand hospitals."

"I understand that Miss Lane but I'm still concerned about your blood pressure. It's still far too high…"

"Well yours would be too if you'd been through what I have. But I'm fine really. In fact I feel great." The doctor stood at the foot of her bed, his face a mixture of determination and fear. Clark had to suppress a chuckle, Lois certainly knew how to dish it out and he was grateful that, for once, he wasn't on the receiving end of it.

"I don't know…I guess if I had some sort of reassurance that you were going to rest and take it easy for a while if I let you go…" He said, glancing meaningfully at Clark.

"He's right Lois, you would never behave if he let you out."

"I feel like I'm a prisoner." She said, pleadingly at Clark this time.

He rolled his eyes at her, trust her to play that card, he thought. He turned to the doctor. "How about if she comes to stay with me for a while?"

"Well…" He said reluctantly. "That would work…I suppose."

"I live on a farm so it would be just the thing she needs to rest, there's not much she can get up to out there." He said, smirking at Lois. Ignoring her glare, he looked at the doctor and smiled. Truth was, he was more than eager for that plan of action because he knew it would be nice to have her so close, even if it was just for a little while.

"Yes, that would be acceptable. But you must rest Miss Lane," He said seriously.  
"You're still healing too, don't forget that. Your wound was pretty deep, it'll take time. And I'll want to see you back here in a week's time for a check up."

"That sounds reasonable. So can I get out of here soon?" She said, all but jumping out of her bed with impatience. _Man, she really doesn't like hospitals_. Clark thought. But he wasn't surprised. He knew it had to bring back a lot of painful memories for her and suddenly, the General's words flashed through Clark's head. _She's very vulnerable underneath._

"I have to arrange your discharge papers so it will be a little longer I'm afraid. But you'll be out of here today Miss Lane." He replied, trying to pacify her. She nodded and smiled.

"Thank you." She said politely.

"I promise I'll take good care of her." Clark said, meaning every word.

"Good. Okay then, I'll go take care of your papers." He smiled gently and walked out. Clark chuckled as he heard the doctor's sigh of relief from the other side of the door.

"Can't get up to much?" Lois' accusing voice said and he turned, his face grimacing in anticipation of her attack. But to his surprise she was smiling. She patted the side of the bed and he sat down, taking one of her hands in both of his.

"I know you don't like living at the farm what with the early wake ups and all but I think…"

"Clark, I love the farm. How could I not? It's where you are." She said, smiling sweetly. "But you do realise that I'm not going to be the most gracious guest. I get cranky when I'm cooped up."

"I hadn't noticed." He smirked. She poked her tongue out at him.

"Besides, it might be kind of nice, having you at my beck and call. Hmm, my own personal slave. I could get used to that." She laughed as he rolled his eyes once again.

"You know what Lois…" He leaned in closer, so close that the smile faded from her face as she stared into his eyes. "I love you." He kissed her softly on the lips and smiled when he heard her sigh. "And whatever you need, I will gladly get for you. I promised I would take care of you and I will."

"I only need you. That's enough...for now." She replied, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him in for another kiss. The sound of someone clearing their throats came from the doorway and Clark looked up to see Kara and Oliver standing there grinning from ear to ear.

"Hate to interrupt this moment guys…" Oliver said, smirking. "But there's something we thought you ought to know."

* * *

"You call yourselves lawyers? What do I pay you for?" Tess Mercer shouted angrily.

"Miss Mercer, I'm afraid there's nothing more we can do. You seem to have sealed your own fate…" One said nervously. She fixed him with a cold glare. However she wasn't sure how menacing she appeared, the orange jumpsuit was counteracting that effect. Not to mention the fact that it was extremely uncomfortable too.

"I was doing this country a service!" She yelled. "And now you're telling me that you goons can't work your magic and at least get me out on bail?" She stared hard at the three suits in front of her, each one shifting nervously in her presence.

Lex had hired these people because they were the best at what they do. Meaning, they were the best at getting people like her out of impossible situations like this. But now, she was being told that they couldn't even do that. She suddenly saw herself, in prison, caged like an animal for what would undoubtedly be a very long time. She couldn't do it. There was no way she would survive in a place like prison. Even though she knew how to handle herself in a fight, she knew she'd be lucky to last a week.

"We're very sorry ma'am…" Another said, stepping forward. "But our hands are tied. They have the witness testimonies of the men you hired, they're willing to speak out against you in exchange for a reduced sentence. Not to mention the overwhelming evidence against you in the hospital morgue and the witnesses that were involved. I think the best you can hope for is to plead temporary insanity at the trial. The judge will recommend another alternative to prison…"

"But I would still be locked up. You're all useless! Utterly useless. You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag!" She began pacing the floor of her tiny cell. "I mean really, what did Lex hire you for?"

The other one, a braver one than the other two, spoke up.

"Miss Mercer, we're very sorry but you brought this upon yourself. Not to mention the damage you have done to Luthorcorp. The company is going to suffer because of this."

"Screw the company, I couldn't care less about Luthorcorp or Lex Luthor. He's dead remember?"

They all glanced briefly at one another, so brief that Tess was sure she would've missed it if she'd blinked.

"Do you know something I don't?" She asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she walked up to the first man that had spoken. The nervous one.

"No ma'am. He's only missing, _presumed_ dead. But there's been no body recovered."

"If he were alive, don't you think he would've made his presence known by now?"

"I'm sure he would." He agreed, avoiding eye contact with her.

"Ugh! Go, get out of my sight. I don't want to see you in here again until you have good news for me you understand?"

"Yes ma'am. Again, we're sorry." He said solemnly.

Tess scowled at them as they all filed out of the cell. Once they were gone and she was once again alone, she sat down on the edge of her bunker. The conditions were appalling compared to what she was used to, but really, what had she been expecting? She leaned forward and put her head in her hands. This was it, she was going to pay for what she had done.

The worst part of it was that she hadn't even achieved what she'd set out to do. Lois was still in Clark's life, she would prevent him from becoming the hero this world so desperately needed. She had failed. A tear escaped her eye as she contemplated a life behind bars.

_What have I done?_


	31. Chapter 30

_**Chapter Thirty **_

"Clark put me down I am not an invalid!" Lois yelled as Clark carried her into the farmhouse later that evening.

Lois had been released from the hospital early that afternoon but they had all been called to Metropolis PD to give their statements about what had happened with Tess. Even with Clark's protests of it being too much for Lois in her condition, it had taken up most of their afternoon.

Lois had found it very difficult to keep a lot of things to herself, how could she tell them what happened without telling them the whole story? So she had had to improvise, telling them how Tess planted a bomb on and inside her and Kara had found her in time. Not lies technically but she left out a lot of details.

After they were finished there, Clark had practically man handled her all the way back to Smallville. He hadn't let go of her once, always keeping contact with her in one form or another. She didn't mind though, she wanted him to stay close. They had all gone in Oliver's jet to save time and when they arrived back, he arranged a car to take them back to the farm and left to take care of some urgent business. Kara was a little disappointed but he promised that he would come by later.

She looked up at Clark, who was still grinning like a Cheshire cat and she suspected that he was getting some enjoyment out of this situation. "Clark!" She said once more.

He ignored her and made his way over to the couch, and after placing her down softly, he stood back up and winked at her.

"What?" He asked innocently as she glared at him. "I put you down didn't I?"

Lois shook her head and growled as she stood up, ignoring the chuckles that were coming from the kitchen. Kara, Chloe and Jimmy stood trying to look serious but they couldn't suppress the giggles for long. Lois knew that she should be reacting, she should be annoyed but she just couldn't find it in herself. It was nice to finally see everyone safe and happy and together all in one place.

Chloe and Jimmy were working things out and Clark had mentioned that he planned to tell Jimmy the truth about him so that they could lead a secret free life. Lois was shocked but she found it incredibly sweet of him to do that. Jimmy was a great guy and although she would never admit this to anyone, he was a great friend. He deserved to know the truth. But she would have to make sure that he kept his mouth shut. She was still Lois Lane after all and she was fiercely protective of the people she loved.

"Oh you're all just so funny." She huffed, making her way past a chuckling Clark into the kitchen. Jimmy visibly backed away when she got close and she felt a moment's satisfaction that she could at least still intimidate one person.

"So Smallville, what's for dinner? I'm starved." She asked as he walked up behind her and put his arm around her waist. He dipped his head low and kissed the side of her neck, just below her ear.

"This isn't resting Lo." He murmured.

"How exactly is this strenuous Smallville?" She asked incredulously as she leaned back against his chest. Kara snickered and made her way over to the stairs.

"I'll go get your room set up Lois." She offered.

"Actually Kara, I already took care of it. She's staying with me." Clark said. Kara raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"In your room? With you?"

"Mrs K won't like that." Chloe said with a light chuckle.

"She already knows Chloe." Clark said, giving her a pointed look. "I called her this morning to let her know what was going on and that Lois was staying here."

"What did she say?" Lois asked, the last thing she wanted to do was get on the wrong side of Martha. She was like a mother to her. And Lois knew she wouldn't be able to handle her being disappointed in her.

"She's fine with it. She wasn't exactly thrilled but I assured her that you were only here to rest and she seemed okay with that. She agreed that this was the best place for you to get the rest that you _need_. She said we're both adults and she trusts us."

Lois groaned, that was the worst part, because she knew that she wouldn't be able to keep her hands off Clark for long. It was next to impossible and she felt bad that she would ultimately end up betraying Martha's trust.

Clark, sensing her distress, nuzzled her neck before saying. "Lo…don't worry so much. My mom is okay with this. Really." He assured her.

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Now, what would you like to eat?" He asked, moving away from her to walk over to the refrigerator

"Pizza!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"Pizza." Chloe said, agreeing with her husband.

Clark looked to Kara. "Pizza?" He asked. She smiled and nodded. "Well I guess that's dinner sorted."

"Hey, what am I, invisible?" Lois said, annoyed at being overlooked.

"Sorry Lo. Hey, I did ask you!" He retorted, giving her the Kent smile. She pursed her lips and glared at him, drumming her fingers on the counter.

"Pizza's fine I guess." She said reluctantly.

Whilst Clark had ordered their meal, Oliver arrived, much to Kara's delight and the six of them sat eating in contented silence. When they were finished, Lois and Clark went to sit on the sofa whilst Kara and Oliver did the dishes and Jimmy and Chloe were still sitting at the kitchen table, talking.

"How are you feeling?" Clark asked, pulling her up next to him. She let out a sigh and snuggled closer. "You tired?"

She shook her head. "No, I feel great. Everyone I love is here and safe."

"I'm sorry I didn't ask your permission about the room arrangements, I didn't think you would mind. But I should've realised you wouldn't want to offend mom."

"Don't worry about it Smallville. But I am a little worried about what she's imagining we'll be getting up to." Clark chuckled and scooted down in his seat a little so that his face was level with hers.

"Lois, she won't be imagining anything. She knows that we're in love and she's so happy for us. You should've heard her, she said 'I knew it! I knew there was something between you. About time you figured it out' so I think she's fine with it Lo."

"Really? You're not just saying that to have your wicked way with me are you?" She smirked. He let out a short burst of laughter.

"Lois, I have other ways of getting my wicked way with you." He replied and she felt a sudden burst of heat go through her body at the intense look in his eyes. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"But no, I'm not just saying that. She really is happy for us. And she said that dad would be too." He said, his smile fading just a little at the memory of his father. Lois cupped his face in her hand.

"I think he is Clark." She leaned in to kiss him as he wrapped her up in his embrace and moved her to sit in his lap.

"Ugh! Can't you two stop for just a minute?" Chloe laughed as she sauntered into the living room with Jimmy in tow.

"No one asked you to look Chlo." Lois replied snidely.

"Aw but I was hoping for a little bit of cousin time with you." Chloe joked, pouting for effect. Clark laughed again and set Lois back down on the sofa.

"Actually, I need to go out and check on the horses, they've been cooped up in the barn all day." He stood up, Lois looked at him with a raised brow but he just winked at her and grinned. "Jimmy, you want to come with me? I need to talk to you."

"Uh…" He looked at Chloe, who smiled back reassuringly. "Sure CK."

"Wow, Jimmy's never going to see it coming." Lois commented as she watched them leave the house.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that Lois. He kinda did put it together once." Chloe said as she took Clark's vacant seat next to Lois.

"When?"

"A while ago actually. He made the connection from the Red-Blue-Blur to Clark. But we managed to persuade him that it was someone else." She said, her face darkening as if she didn't want to remember the lies she'd told.

"How did you do that?"

"Oliver filled in for Clark. He swooped down from some buildings to save Jimmy from a mugger, he was wearing a costume that Clark wasn't exactly pleased with. Ha, that cape!" She snorted, remembering.

"Cape?" Lois asked, one eyebrow raised inquisitively.

"Yeah, Oliver thought it was a nice touch but Clark wasn't sold on it. He thought it looked ridiculous. So anyway, Clark showed up and voila, Jimmy knew it wasn't him."

"Huh, Oliver and Clark sure do like their gags huh?"

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked with a frown.

"Oh come on Chlo, you don't remember? A certain Green friend of ours with a leather fetish all those years ago? I know it was Clark in that alley."

"Does he know you know?" She asked sheepishly.

"No, I haven't told him yet. I figured I'd wait until the right time." She said, grinning.

"Sorry lo…I didn't…"

"Hey don't start that. I get it, you were just protecting him. I would've done the same. And besides, it doesn't matter now, I mean at the time I was a little annoyed. I mean Clark was supposed to be helping me that night, instead I find out he was helping Ollie all along. I thought, so much for being my friend right? But I couldn't feel bitter about it because I knew that he only did it to protect me from getting hurt. I guess he'd had enough of those troubles with Lana and he did what he thought was best for everyone. The only thing I'm annoyed about is you letting me go on about how good a kisser the Green Arrow was when Clark was standing right in front of me. You set me up for that didn't you?" Chloe nervously shifted in her seat, but Lois held her firm.

"It was too good an opportunity to miss Lois, not only for you but to see the priceless look on Clark's face…sorry." Lois chuckled.

"I guess I would've done the same. A girl's got to have some fun right? And the look on his face _was_ priceless. So it's fine really,"

"Good," Chloe replied, letting out a relieved sigh.

"How do you think he's going to take it?" Lois asked, nodding her head in the direction of the barn.

"I don't know. He's going to know that I lied to him when he asked me straight out if I knew." Lois wrapped an arm around her shoulders and nudged her gently.

"Hey, he'll forgive you sweetie. Jimmy's a good guy. Don't worry, once Clark explains the reasons for you keeping his secret, he'll be fine. Trust me." She said, grinning smugly. She knew from experience that it would be a little hard for him to take in at first but ultimately, he would come to understand the reasons behind it.

"I hope you're right Lo."

* * *

  
"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Jimmy asked as he followed Clark into the barn. Clark stopped in front of one of the stalls where the horses were kept, and hesitated. He suddenly wasn't so sure that this was a good idea.

"Look, if this is about Chloe…I meant what I said Clark…I want to try again…"

"No that's not it Jimmy. I have to tell you something and it's pretty big so I just want you to hear me out before you say anything okay?" Clark took a seat on one of the bales of hay and took a deep breath. This was harder than he thought it would be. Jimmy would not take this news as well as the others had. He had been lied to in the past about it.

"What is it Clark? You're making me nervous. Is it about Chloe?" Jimmy said, anxiously shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"No, this is about me Jim…" Clark stood, feeling too nervous to sit, he started pacing as he thought how to begin.

"Jimmy, do you remember when you thought I was the Red-Blue-Blur?" Jimmy blinked in confusion and hesitated before nodding.

"Well, what if I was to tell you that…you were right all along?"

"What?" Jimmy whispered.

"You were right Jimmy." Clark said quietly. He stood tall and squared his shoulders. "I am the red-blue-blur."

Jimmy's mouth fell open as he took in his words and if Clark hadn't been so anxious of his reaction, he would've found the way his mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, to be funny. But instead he stood silent, waiting for Jimmy to take it all in.

"You're…the blur?" He asked, his voice almost silent.

"Yeah. I know this is a lot to take in Jimmy but I wanted to tell you so…" Jimmy cut him off.

"She knew." He whispered, his head bowed as he started pacing, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. "She knew…and…and she lied. Lied right to my face! How could she do that to me?" He said, turning angrily on Clark.

"Jimmy, its not her fault…" Clark said, raising his hands, in a placating manner.

"Don't!" Jimmy snarled. "Don't you dare defend her to me. She lied to me Clark! You both did!"

"Jimmy it wasn't like that!" Clark said urgently, he should've seen this coming. But he hadn't expected him to react so…violently.

"She lied to me." He repeated, as if he was trying to get his head around that fact.

"Jimmy, listen to me. Yes we lied to you, but it was only to protect you. People have gotten hurt by knowing about me and I didn't want you to be the next one on that list." Jimmy shot him a sceptical glare.

"Seriously, I didn't like asking her to lie to you Jimmy but there was no other way to keep you safe. Just look at what happened yesterday. I almost lost the most important person to me, because of who I am." Jimmy's face seemed to sober at that statement.

"I had to choose Jimmy, between saving Metropolis, or saving Lois. If she didn't know about me, if she'd never gotten involved with me, this never would've happened to her and I just have to accept that its my fault that she got hurt." Clark lowered his head as his own words hit him hard.

"But we were married, she married me whilst keeping a huge secret from me Clark. That's not how it's supposed to happen!"

"Actually, when you got married, she didn't know."

"Huh?"

"I had her memories of the real me erased. All she remembered after that was that I was her best friend. I thought I was doing the right thing by giving her a chance at a normal life. But something happened after you broke up and somehow…I'm still not sure how, but she remembers everything. Look, I can understand you being angry, but don't be angry at Chloe. It's me you should be mad with."

"I just can't believe this!" Jimmy exclaimed, still pacing. "You…Clark Kent…are the Red-Blue-Blur! I mean, I was right. Back then when I put it all together, I was right."

"Yes you were." Clark replied slowly watching Jimmy intently, as he slowly started coming to terms with it.

"I knew it!" He shouted and relief washed over Clark as he saw a grin appear on Jimmy's face.

"So I know you can run at the speed of light but…what else can you do? How much don't I know about you Clark?"

"You have no idea." Clark muttered under his breath. "There's a lot that you don't know Jimmy and it's probably for the best if it stays that way."

"No way, you have to tell me."

"I think I'll leave the rest up to Chloe. If she wants to tell you everything, I won't stop her. But I just wanted you to hear this from me first." Jimmy nodded, thinking it over.

"But seriously, you do have other powers don't you?"

Clark rolled his eyes. "Yeah."

"So? What are they?" He asked eagerly.

Clark sighed but looked around the barn for something to demonstrate with. He walked over to the tractor that he was still working on, it hadn't worked in years and probably never would again but he couldn't bring himself to part with it. It was his dad's and he had cherished it, so Clark had kept it. He went around to the back of it, aware that Jimmy was standing close by, watching him in anticipation. He heard a gasp as he began lifting the tractor with ease. He held it a few feet in the air and then slowly lowered it back down again. When he looked up, Jimmy was standing there, mouth hanging open, eyes wide.

"Whoa." He whispered.

"Jimmy?"

"That is_ so_ cool!" Jimmy said in awe. Clark grinned, relieved that he hadn't freaked him out and sent him running. He should've known that Jimmy would be able to handle the truth. And if he was honest, he was actually glad that he wouldn't have to hide who he was in front of Jimmy anymore.

It didn't lessen his anxiety of him getting hurt but at least he could be himself around him now. No more lame excuses when he would have to leave suddenly, no more lies. He hated lying and he knew that the day would have to come where he would have to go public with his alter ego. Until that day came, he would be happy just being the RBB.

"How long has Chloe known?" Jimmy asked, bringing Clark out of his thoughts.

"Since high school. I didn't want her to know Jimmy. She found out on her own. But she's been the best friend and ally I could've ever wished for. I don't know what I would've done without her all these years. She kept me from feeling truly alone. I had no one else to turn to, the only other people who knew were my parents and an old friend who I don't see anymore. He moved away because of the pressure of keeping my secret." Clark said glumly.

"I understand that she kept your secret out of loyalty to you." Jimmy murmured, serious again.

"That's not the only reason Jimmy. She kept it because she didn't want you to get hurt. And she was right to do so. Bad things happen to the people who know. I hope you're prepared for that."

"Why now?" Jimmy asked, Clark frowned at him. "Why did you choose now to tell me?"

"Well Chloe asked me if she could tell you. She wanted you two to start off with a clean slate. She didn't want anymore secrets between the two of you." Clark said, smiling.

"She said that?"

Clark nodded. "Her exact words."

Jimmy strode back to the hay bale and sat down with a thud as if his legs had given out on him. Clark waited patiently, giving Jimmy the time and space he needed.

"You know, it's funny. All these years I thought the reason she kept defending you or covering for you was because she was still in love with you. When all the time she was just being loyal to you."

"Jimmy, this is serious. I don't want anything to happen to you so can you promise me one thing…?"

"Sure."

"Can you keep this to yourself? Can I trust you?" Jimmy looked up and stared at him with an awed expression. He raised his hand and Clark shook it.

"Always CK."

* * *

As Jimmy and Clark walked back into the farmhouse, they were greeted by two very anxious women. Lois and Chloe both stood at the island in the middle of the kitchen, eyeing them warily. Kara and Oliver were sitting on the sofa talking.

"So uh…Clark's the blur huh?" Jimmy said to Chloe, keeping his face impassive.

"I'm so sorry Jimmy, I never wanted to lie to you but I had to…" Jimmy raised his hand and walked over to her.

"Chloe…it's okay. I understand. I mean I'm not exactly thrilled about it, but I do understand."

"Really?" She asked, worriedly. He leaned in to kiss her and Clark heard Lois' sigh as she stood next to him, one arm around his waist. He looked down at her and laughed when he saw that she realised what she'd just done.

"Don't…" She said, pointing a finger at him, warning him not to start.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He replied with a wide grin and then a mocking sigh of his own. She glared at him and moved away, but before she could get too far, he dragged her back into his arms.

"Come on, let's give them some privacy." He said, dragging her into the living room. Because the sofa was already taken up, Clark sat down in the chair and pulled Lois into his lap.

"I take it all went well?" Oliver asked.

"As well as could be expected." Clark replied, watching the couple in the kitchen.

"How did he take it?" Lois asked, playing with the hair at the base of his neck. He suppressed the shiver that she was invoking and concentrated on his answer.

"He was angry…at first. But after he'd calmed down, I think he realised exactly why we kept this from him."

"He seems okay now." Kara chimed in. Clark watched as Jimmy took Chloe's face into his hands and kissed her tenderly.

"Yeah. They'll be fine." Lois said with confidence. She turned back to Clark. "How are you?"

"Me? I'm fine." He replied, frowning.

"I know that you don't like revealing who you are Clark. You're always worried whether something bad is gonna happen. But that's an awful lot of pressure for one person to handle. Luckily, you have me to take a bit of the weight off." She said, snuggling in closer to him. He felt a laugh bubble up inside him as he wrapped his arms around her. She winced and shifted slightly.

"Oh Lois! I'm sorry." He said, feeling immediately guilty that maybe he'd squeezed her too hard. Lois looked at his face, the horror he knew she must now be seeing, and then over at Kara who was wearing a similar expression.

She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "Seriously, you guys have to stop this. What is it with Kryptonians and guilt trips? I am fine. I just moved wrong that's all. Clark you didn't hurt me and Kara, please stop feeling guilty for saving my life."

"I don't feel guilty for saving your life Lois, I feel guilty for hurting you so badly. Clark would never have done that, I need to get a better handle on my powers…" She said, looking down. Oliver wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm reassuringly.

"You did what you had to do Kara and I am grateful that you did. It's only a flesh wound, believe me I've had worse. It's certainly a whole lot better than the alternative." She said and Clark felt a shudder go through her. "So both of you, please stop beating yourselves up over this. Can we all please just agree to put this whole mess behind us and move on?"

"I'm all for that." Chloe said as she and Jimmy walked into the living room hand in hand, with beaming smiles lighting up their faces.

"Me too." Oliver chipped in.

Clark looked into Lois' eyes, saw the pleading there and decided that he would try to do as she asked. If she wanted to forget this whole thing, he would too. Kara nodded at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking. Lois smiled and clapped her hands together.

"Good, now that's settled, who's up for some Guitar Hero?" Clark chuckled and pulled her closer again, more gently this time, he couldn't help it. He took her face in his hands and kissed her lovingly.

"I love you." He whispered against her lips. She moved back slightly to see his face better and rubbed her thumbs over his cheeks.

"I love you too Smallville."


	32. Epilogue

**A/N: **Okay guys, here is the Epilogue, thank you so much for reading and commenting on this story. I always love to read your reactions! There is a sequel to this story, but its quite a long one, so I'll post it if there's interest but if not, I won't bother. So let me know if you want a sequel :)

_**Epilogue**_

_One Month Later…_

"On the charges of illegal human experimentation and acts of a terrorist nature, we the jury find the defendant Tess Mercer….guilty."

A whoosh of applause and vehement shouts of approval erupted from the courtroom. Lois sat next to Clark and Kara, feeling a little smug as she listened to the judge dish out her punishment. Tess sat as still as a statue, however, her previously composed face eventually crumbled as the judge sentenced her to life in prison. Lois had felt Clark tense up as Tess had taken the stand, half expecting the Government to storm in at any moment and take him away. But surprisingly and worryingly, she kept his heritage to herself.

Tess and her army of lawyers had put up one heck of a fight but in the end it had proved to be fruitless, with the jury taking less than two hours to deliver a unanimous verdict. She had been led away by the guards, crying and shouting her apologies. But they fell on deaf ears and Lois was glad to see the back of her once and for all. Tess Mercer would never be able to hurt anyone ever again.

It had been a hectic couple of days for everyone. Kara, Chloe, Oliver, Clark, Lois, the General and even Jimmy had all been called as witnesses for the prosecution, though Jimmy hadn't been able to tell them much and after giving his testimony, the General had dinner with Clark and Lois at the farm and left not long afterwards. The case had been so big that it had taken over two days to get everyone's testimonies. The two men who had been working for Tess had agreed to give evidence in court in exchange for a reduced sentence, though Daniel was still on the run.

Though Tess' lawyers had tried every tactic they knew to intimidate, Lois had never backed down. She told her story with passion, unwittingly inciting the jury's sympathy as she spoke about how terrified she had been, thinking that she had seen the end of her life approaching. She had spoken freely since Clark was not allowed in the room until he'd given his testimony, she still didn't want him to know how scared she had been. That would destroy him and he'd been doing so well in moving on over the last month.

He was back to his old self around her, no longer treating her like a porcelain doll, for which she was grateful. She didn't know how much more she would've been able to take. She'd stayed with him at the farm for two weeks, letting him fuss over her because she knew that was what he needed to do, and after that, she'd gone back to her apartment. It felt good to be home, even if it did feel a little lonely. But she had spent most nights at the farm with him, she missed him too much when he wasn't around so he either stayed with her, or she stayed with him on the nights that Kara stayed at Oliver's.

They had gotten pretty close over the last month and were only ever apart when Oliver was working or Kara was out helping Clark. Lois was so proud of them both, Clark for finally accepting who he was and Kara for letting go of her fears of not fitting in and embracing life on Earth. Oliver had bought out the Daily Planet to save it from the debacle of being related to Luthorcorp and had hired a new editor who Lois liked a lot.

Perry White was an amazing man and journalist and one she could banter with as easily as Clark, so that was a bonus. But even though she loved to tease him, Lois had come to have a great deal of respect for her new boss. He pushed her to be the best, he challenged her. Every day she went to work with a purpose. And she loved it.

Everything had gotten back to normal and everyone was happy. Well with the exception of one day. The day of Lana's funeral a week ago. Oliver had arranged a very small but very elegant farewell for the woman who had been in their lives for such a short space of time. Clark had been very subdued. Nothing out of the ordinary for him but Lois had been concerned that he was taking it harder than he'd let on. It was as if he was saying goodbye to his past. Finally letting it all go. Finally letting himself be free.

That night he'd taken her back to her apartment and stayed with her. He was so quiet, she didn't know what to do for him. She ran a bath and sat in the tub with him in front of her, each leg on either side of his body. With her arms wrapped around his torso, gently cleaning his chest with a wash cloth, he'd leaned his head back against her chest and cried. She'd held him for what seemed like hours as he poured his heart out, feeling every ounce of his pain as if it were her own, and eventually he stopped.

Then he'd turned his face up to her and kissed her with an intensity that had rendered her speechless. The love she saw in his eyes was overpowering and their lovemaking that night had been more about the physical and emotional connection than it was just about pleasure. She had never felt so close to someone in her whole life, and she doubted that anything else would ever come close again.

"Hey," He spoke softly in her ear as he ushered them out of the courthouse. "Where were you just now?"

"I was just thinking." She replied happily, walking hand in hand with him down the steps.

"What about?"

"Nothing in particular. Just recent events."

The media was in a frenzy as they started off down the street. Lois let Clark use his sheer size to barge his way through the ever-growing crowd, and once they were clear of them, they walked into their favourite café, The Coffee Stop, and sat down in the back. They usually liked the window table, but with the events of today, they all wanted a little peace and quiet.

"I can't believe that's all over with." Kara commented as she took a seat across the table from them.

"I know, can you believe that lawyer of hers?" Lois asked, scanning the menu with one hand as her other played absentmindedly with Clark's fingers.

"He was slimy. I didn't like him at all." Kara said, wrinkling her nose. "I have to give him credit for trying to catch us out though." She snickered.

"Well, I think he knew the case was a lost cause with all the overwhelming evidence against Tess." Clark put in.

"Well, she's gone now. Hopefully forever, so let's not talk about her anymore huh?" Lois said, setting her menu down and glancing at the two of them.

"Agreed. Out of sight, out of mind." Kara said cheerfully. "So, where's Chloe and Jimmy?"

"They left last night, they were catching a flight to Madrid." Lois replied.

"Madrid?" Kara frowned.

"They're having a second honeymoon, since they didn't really have a great start to their marriage. They wanted to take some time away just for themselves so after they'd given their testimonies yesterday, they went straight home to pack." Lois said, feeling better now that her cousin was finally happy. Sure she had made some mistakes, but she regretted them badly and everyone deserved a second chance, or so Lois thought. There were some that didn't, namely Tess.

"Where's Oliver? He left the courthouse pretty quickly earlier." Clark said, as a waitress came over to take their orders. Lois rolled her eyes at the obvious signals the girl was sending to an oblivious Clark. When she was gone, Lois chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Clark asked, raising her hand and setting it on the table in between both of his. He trailed his fingers over the surface of her palm, making her squirm a little in her seat. But things like that had become almost second nature to them now, neither one was aware that they were doing it, but they were always in contact in some form or other.

"Everywhere we go, there's always some girl checking you out." She said and Kara joined in laughing along with her. Clark's face turned red as their laughter grew louder, causing several patrons to turn their heads in their direction.

"They are not." He protested.

"Whatever Smallville, I have eyes. It's not my fault you're too blind to notice the signals when they're clearly being given out."

"There's only one set of signals I need to worry about." He murmured as he leaned in to kiss her quickly on the lips.

"You better believe it Smallville." Lois snickered.

"A little sensitivity, guys, please?" Kara grumbled. "Oliver's gone to Star City for a couple of days, so I'm officially alone."

"Why don't you just fly over and visit him?" Clark asked.

"Because he's busy doing business and I will not be one of those pushy clingy girlfriends." She said adamantly.

"You're not alone Kara, you still have us." Lois said, smiling sweetly.

She liked Kara a lot, not only because of recent events, but because as she had spent a lot of time with her recently, she found that Kara was actually a lot of fun to be around. She was just as sweet as Clark and in a lot of ways, just as naïve. Lois considered her to be one of her best friends and for that she was grateful. Growing up, she had only ever really had Chloe as a friend, but she was family so it didn't really count. Now, here she sat, with two of her best friends in the whole world. One of whom she was in love with. Life was good.

"Thanks Lois, that means a lot." Kara said, smiling widely.

"So have you given any more thought to staying here with us?" Lois asked, trying to sound impassive but knew she was failing.

In truth, she really didn't want Kara to leave. Clark was a different person now that she was back, he had someone who was like him, to talk to about things that Lois could never understand no matter how much she wished otherwise. He had real family here now and Lois didn't want him to lose that again. The other reason was that she would miss Kara a lot if she left.

"I told Clark that I was going to stay, for now. I finally feel like I'm starting to fit in this place and I love Oliver, I don't think I _could_ leave him." She smiled sheepishly.

"Tell you what, how about we hit the town tonight? Girls' night out?" Lois offered. "After the last couple of days, I feel in the mood to celebrate."

"And just what am I supposed to do with myself?" Clark asked, clearly put out by the idea of having to spend the evening alone.

"You'll survive one night without me Smallville. And besides, it's not like you don't have anything to do. I'm sure there's lot of chores to keep you busy." She smirked and straightened his tie. He had undone the top button on his shirt and he looked amazingly hot in his suit that Lois could barely keep her hands off him.

"Well at least I know there'll be someone to keep you out of trouble." He retorted, sarcasm heavy in his tone. She raised a brow and stared at him.

"Don't you even think about checking up on us, I have my own spy," Clark looked at Kara, who threw a grin his way.

"Stupid superpowers…" He grumbled under his breath. Lois laughed, he really was too cute for words sometimes.

"Uh Lois?" Kara started. "You are aware that I can't get drunk right?"

"Of course…" Her face lit up with a wicked grin. "Doesn't mean you can't try though."

* * *

"Wow, it's beautiful isn't it?" Lois muttered in Clark's ear as she came up behind him. He had been standing on her balcony looking at the Metropolis skyline, waiting for her to return from her night out with Kara.

He turned to see her standing there looking absolutely stunning in a deep blue dress that ended just above the knees with a v shaped neckline that exposed enough cleavage to be enticing without overdoing it. Her chocolate brown hair fell in curly waves over her bare shoulders, she was a vision of pure beauty. He felt incredibly blessed to be standing here right now.

"Yeah, it is. Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah, it was nice. We had such a laugh. You know, Kara's pretty funny when you dose her up with Red K…" She said, as she stepped around him to lean her elbows on the wall and stare out at the city.

"What? Lois you didn't…" She looked over her shoulder at him with a smirk. "That's not funny Lo."

"I know, but the look on your face was." Clark shook his head in exasperation, but smiled regardless.

"So…how are you feeling?" He asked, still slightly amused that he had listened to her trying to open the door for almost five minutes before she found the keyhole.

"I'm fine. I feel great actually, tonight was just what I needed. Blew away the cobwebs, so to speak. You should've seen the guys flirting with Kara, it was so funny. She soon put them in their place." Slowly, he snaked his arms around her waist and kissed her temple as she fell back against him, leaning on him completely.

"Well you sound sober…"

"Hey, I am not drunk!"

"Okay, okay. You're not drunk." He chuckled. She growled but didn't reply. She closed her eyes and leaned her cheek against his as he propped his chin on her shoulder.

"Clark?"

"Hmm?"

"How come you haven't taken me flying yet?" She asked, he opened his eyes and looked down at her. With all the stuff they'd been through in the last month, he realised that he'd yet to actually take her flying. He'd told her about it, a while ago, but never got the chance to show her.

"I…don't know actually. Sorry Lo…with everything that's happened…" He trailed off.

"It's okay, I don't mind. But I would like to experience it someday." She said, turning her head and placing a soft, lingering kiss on his cheek. He turned her around to face him and tightened his grip on her waist.

"Hold on." He whispered. She clung to his shoulders as he looked up into the sky, and then…they were off. Floating up past the skyscrapers and into the starry night sky. Clark looked at Lois as she took in her surroundings, her face full of awed wonder. He paused, floating in the air, and pulled them upright so that they were essentially standing in the air.

"Wow…" Lois whispered, her eyes wide as she looked around. She looked down and gripped his shoulders hard, causing him to pull her more tightly against him so that there wasn't an inch of space between their bodies. When she lifted her head, she looked at him with an expression he couldn't quite read.

"What's wrong?" He asked, smoothing the hair out of her face with one hand. "You're not afraid are you? I would never drop you Lois…"

"I know that Smallville." She snorted, as if it were a stupid thing to say. "I trust you, you know that. It's just…well now that you have this amazing new ability…" She stopped and he felt a shiver go through her. Maybe he should've grabbed a jacket for her. He held onto her with one strong arm as he manoeuvred himself out of his thick red jacket and wrapped it around her.

"Thanks." She replied, snuggling into his chest. She stayed silent for a few minutes, the only sound was the wind gently blowing around them. Eventually, he touched her cheek and she raised her head.

"Hey, what is it?"

"You're gonna leave me aren't you?" She said, turning her gaze away from him to look at the city below her.

"What? Where did that come from? Why would you think that?" He asked, shocked.

"Clark I'm not stupid, I know that you still have to do your training with your father. I won't stand in the way of that. If the last month has taught me anything, its that I don't have the right to ask you to stay here with me. Not when there are so many people out there who need your help. I won't be that person." Clark tightened his grip on her, understanding now dawning on him.

"Lois…look at me…" When she didn't, he tucked his hand under her chin and nudged her face up.

She squeezed her eyes shut. "You have to go Clark." She said, without opening them. The words reverberated in his head for a few moments until he felt the pain that they invoked.

"What?"

"You have to go. You have to be all that you can be, and I know that you can't do that if you have to worry about me all the time." He drew in a shaky breath, knowing that he would have to tell her now.

"Lois…I talked to Jor-El last night. He said that time moved very differently on Krypton and it would essentially be the same when I'm inside the fortress. What would have been one year to them, could be five to us."

Her face paled. "Five years?"

"Maybe, maybe not. I don't really know. But after I talked with him, it was weird, it was kind of like, he understood. He's never understood before, always saying that human emotions were making me weak, stopping me from becoming all I needed to be for this planet." He cupped her cheek as his eyes roamed over her face, committing each feature to memory.

"I asked him, why I'm not allowed the same chance at happiness that he had with my mother. Why, if I'm so destined to become this great hero, can't I have something for me? Someone I love deeply. He couldn't give me an answer. Instead he asked me what your name was. And then the strangest thing happened."

"What?" She asked, eagerly. She was hanging on his every word.

"He changed his mind."

"What?" She asked, her mouth falling open. "What do you mean he changed his mind? I don't understand."

"I don't understand it either, but as soon as I said your name, he changed his mind. He said that since I am already embracing my destiny, helping people, I'm already half way there. But I have to complete the rest of my training." He watched as Lois squeezed her eyes shut, he knew that she was aching to pull away from him, to put some distance between them to protect herself, but being as high up as they were, she was stuck holding onto him.

"How long?" She whispered, so low that if it weren't for his hearing he would've missed it. The wind kicked up then, blowing her hair around her face as if forming a protective shield around her. He gently pushed it back and smiled at her.

"Six months. But I don't have to go right away. I have until the end of the year."

"Oh Clark!" She yelled throwing her arms around him, hugging and kissing him fiercely. "Are you sure? We really have another four months together before you have to go?"

"Yes I'm sure. Jor-El may be a lot of things, but he's not a liar."

"I just can't believe this, I was expecting you to say that you were leaving me for years. I can handle six months, I think…" She said, looking thoughtful again.

"Hey, we can do it. And you know that I will be coming back to you. Never forget that Lois." He kissed her again, long and slow, holding her so tightly in his arms.

"I love you so much Lois, you'll never know how much. It's so easy to throw the word 'destiny' around without meaning it but…I think, I mean I know…that you _are_ my soul mate. I never thought about it before, but I know now that it's you. You're the one thing in my life that I am not prepared to live without. I need you. You keep me grounded, you help me become a better person, you love me for who I am. I'm so sorry for wasting all these years, not knowing that what I wanted, deep down, what I _needed_…had been standing in front of me the whole time." Lois sniffled and blinked the tears back, he smiled softly as she pressed her lips to his.

"Smallville, maybe it's not a bad thing that we only started out now. I mean, as much as we annoyed each other in the beginning, I had never had a friend like you before and I guess I just wasn't willing to lose that. It was too important to me. But then something changed, and I started seeing you differently, somewhere along the way I fell in love with you and I couldn't deny it any more." She reached up and cupped his face with both hands.

"You make me happier than I ever thought was possible. I don't care where you're from, you are the most caring, gentle _human being_ that I have ever known, with the biggest heart. I understand that you need to go, you have to do this. But I want you to know that I will be here waiting for you to come back to me. I'm counting on that Smallville."

"I will Lois." He said, his voice suddenly thick with emotion. He knew he had a few more months with her yet, so why did this feel like they were saying goodbye? He couldn't do that, he wasn't sure he'd even be able to do it when the time came. His chest felt tight, his heart beating erratically as he took her left hand in his.

"Lois, I give you my word that I will come back to you. But I need you do something for me too."

"Anything." She said without hesitation.

"Will you…?" He paused, looking deep into her captivating hazel orbs, the love he saw there gave him the strength to carry on. "Will you marry me?"

"What?" She whispered, shocked.

"When I return, will you be my wife?" He asked again, nervousness resonating in his voice. What would he do if she said no? He had no idea. Slowly, he felt her smooth her hands up his arms, all the way to his shoulders, up his neck and then his cheeks, where they rested.

"Clark…when you come back to me…" She paused to place a light kiss on his forehead.

"Yes, I will marry you."

Clark felt as if a million fireworks had just been set off, his head ringing with her words. Without saying anything, he flew them up a little higher so that they were now floating just above the clouds. When he stopped, he wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her in tightly to him, kissing her with such passion that it took both of them a second to recover when he pulled back. Staring into her flushed face, he felt a tear roll down his cheek.

"I love you." He said simply. Lois smiled, her heart shining through for the world to see.

"I love you too Smallville."

The End.


End file.
